India all-rounder Hardik Pandya is all set to check into the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru on Tuesday (June 2), TOI reported.
He is undergoing targeted rehabilitation for back spasms following a grueling IPL 2026 campaign with the Mumbai Indians (MI).
According to the report, Hardik is likely to spend over a week at the facility before joining India’s ODI squad for the Afghanistan series on June 11. The first ODI is scheduled for June 13 in Dharamsala.
Pandya has been named in India’s 15-member ODI squad for the Afghanistan series, but his final inclusion "subject to fitness clearance". He has not played much competitive cricket since the start of last month, while his last ODI appearance came on 9th March 2025 against New Zealand during the ICC Champions Trophy Final in Dubai.
Hardik Pandya’s ability to manage high-volume bowling loads remains a major hurdle. While he successfully manages his quota in T20 cricket, transitioning to ODIs requires significantly more physical endurance.
Apart from Pandya, Rohit suffered a right hamstring injury during the early phase of IPL 2026. While the veteran opener returned to action for MI, he was primarily used as an Impact Player. His final selection for the Afghanistan ODIs is also "subject to fitness clearance".
"The BCCI medical team had instructed both Rohit Sharma and Pandya to report to the CoE but there is no clarity on the former at this stage. Pandya is likely to undergo fitness drills and match simulations over the next week," the report stated.
Meanwhile, the Indian Test squad will have their first training session on June 2 for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, slated to get underway on June 6 in Mullanpur.
The Shubman Gill-led side will reportedly train in the afternoon from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM, while the visiting Afghan team held their session in the morning from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
Jammu and Kashmir seamer Auqib Nabi has officially joined Team India as a backup player for the solitary Test against Afghanistan. He has been included in the squad to gain first-hand experience of the international team environment.
India’s Test Squad: Shubman Gill (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (vice-captain), Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Dhruv Jurel (wicket-keeper)
India’s ODI Squad: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma*, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya*, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey
Notes: *Subject to fitness clearance.
