Hardik Pandya, the star all-around player for India, has missed time due to an ankle injury sustained during the 2023 World Cup. He was not there for the December campaign in South Africa and the home white-ball series against Australia.
According to a PTI report, Hardik is still recovering from his injury, so while it was anticipated that he would be well enough to play in the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in early January, India may once again be without the all-rounder’s services.
In addition, the prominent player might miss the 2024 Indian Premier League season, according to a PTI report.
According to a BCCI source who spoke to PTI on condition of anonymity, “there is no update on Hardik’s fitness status as of now and one can say there remains a big question mark of him being available before the end of IPL.”
The Mumbai Indians, an IPL team that named Hardik their captain for the 2024 campaign, will suffer from his absence from the field. After leading the team to five trophies over the course of ten years, MI recently removed Rohit Sharma from his position as captain.
There were certain questions raised when Hardik was traded to MI for the Gujarat Titans in November 2023 in an all-cash deal.
Hardik Pandya’s return to the Mumbai Indians was reportedly linked to the captaincy position, according to an Indian Express report from last week.
According to the source, Team India captain Rohit Sharma was notified of the choice during the 2023 ICC World Cup and made the decision to play for Hardik Pandya in the 2024 Indian Premier League.
As reported by Indian Express, Mahela Jayawardene, the Global Head of Performance at MI, addressed the matter and stated, “It is part of legacy building and staying true to the MI philosophy of being future-ready.” The Mumbai Indians have always had outstanding leadership, from Sachin to Harbhajan and Ricky to Rohit, who have all worked to build the squad for the future while also contributing to the club’s current success. For the 2024 Indian Premier League season, Hardik Pandya will lead the Mumbai Indians as captain, according to this concept.”
After it was announced that Hardik Pandya will take over as captain in place of Rohit Sharma, the Mumbai Indians, five-time IPL winners, lost almost 400k social media followers. Given that Hardik Pandya’s participation in the IPL 2024 is uncertain, internet users have reacted negatively on social media.
India vs. Afghanistan T20 series: As planned, India will play its final T20I series before the World Cup in June, a three-match T20I series that will take place between January 11 and January 17.
According to earlier rumors, Suryakumar Yadav would miss the series due to an ankle twisted during a T20I match in Johannesburg against South Africa. It can take six weeks for the suspected rip to heal.
