Hardik Pandya's injury update: The all rounder's return looms after ankle injury sustained in the World Cup

Indian cricket all-rounder Hardik Pandya, sidelined since the Cricket World Cup 2023 due to an ankle injury, hints at a comeback with a promising fitness update.

Indian cricket team all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been absent from the field since sustaining an ankle injury during the Cricket World Cup 2023. Following the return of veteran stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to the T20 format, Pandya, who was rested for the T20I series against Afghanistan due to ongoing recovery, shared a significant fitness update on social media through a workout video.

During the Cricket World Cup 2023, Pandya's ankle injury forced him out of the competition after the match against Bangladesh. Despite showing considerable recovery, he opted for rest during the T20I series against Afghanistan. The comeback of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the T20 squad against Afghanistan, with Rohit named as the captain, adds experience to the team. Both players had last appeared in a T20 match for India during the World Cup semifinal against England in November 2022.

Initially seen as the new T20 skipper after the semifinal, Pandya's injury, along with Suryakumar Yadav's recent ligament tear, introduced a level of inexperience at the top of the order. The team had to adapt to new strategies, especially in the powerplay, where the veterans had previously played a more conventional style.

The announced squad for the three T20Is against Afghanistan includes Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, and Mukesh Kumar.