India all-rounder Hardik Pandya is still recuperating from the ankle injury he suffered in an ICC World Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh and reports have suggested that he is set to miss the upcoming two matches of the Men in Blue against Sri Lanka and South Africa.
India, having achieved victory in all six of their games so far, is on track to secure a spot in the semifinals. They play Sri Lanka on November 2nd in Mumbai and South Africa on November 5th in Kolkata.
Pandya sustained the injury to his left ankle in his follow-through while bowling during the match against Bangladesh in Pune on October 19. This unfortunate incident led to his absence from the home team's subsequent matches against New Zealand and England.
"It is a minor tear. He is recovering well and is likely to return for the last league game. There is also a possibility that he straight away plays the semifinal," a BCCI source said.
As per the ESPNCricinfo report, India is unlikely to rush him back till at least the final game of the league stages, against Netherlands on November 12.
Pandya has since been undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and is expected to take his time with the recovery.
In the absence of Hardik Pandya’s all-round skills, India had to tweak their playing XI, with Suryakumar Yadav included to bolster the batting and Mohammad Shami included to add venom to the bowling lineup.
And Shami has been terrific so far, taking fifer against New Zealand and 4/22 against England. On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav scored a brilliant 49 against England to propel India’s score to 229/9.
Following India's triumph over England, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey had conveyed optimism regarding Pandya's return.
"The medical team is looking at that and is very much in touch with Hardik and the NCA (National Cricket Academy) as well. We're hoping to get an update in a couple of days," Mhambrey had said on Sunday.
According to an official statement from the BCCI, it was initially planned for Pandya to link up with the team in Lucknow in preparation for the match against England.
(PTI inputs)
