Injured Hardik Pandya will play domestic cricket before India return: Gill

Shubman Gill has confirmed that Hardik Pandya will have to play domestic cricket before returning to the Indian team. The all-rounder has endured a difficult few months with recurring injuries, missing several assignments since the IPL 2026 season.Shubman Gill sets a timeline for Hardik Pandya's return. (PTI Photo)New Delhi,Nov 3, 2026 07:58 ISTIndia are waiting on Hardik Pandya's return as they build towards the 2027 ODI World Cup, captain Shubman Gill said on Tuesday, on the eve of the team's opening ODI against New Zealand. India are playing a five-match ODI series against New Zealand, their biggest assignment at home since 2018-19.India are not at full strength due to Hardik Pandya's injury. The all-rounder has not played cricket since the Indian Premier League and is currently at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE), having struggled with a series of injuries since May.Asked about the all-rounder's impact on the team, Shubman said Hardik was a rare cricketer with the ability to bowl with both the new and old ball. Pandya is an established No. 7 or No. 8 in India's ODI team, tasked with providing the final push in the closing stages of the innings.Gill said the Indian team was waiting for the all-rounder's return and would be glad to have him back. However, he added that Hardik would have to play domestic cricket before returning to the India squad. This effectively means that Pandya will have to prove his fitness in either the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy or the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which will be played in November and December. "Firstly, Hardik Pandya is a great all-rounder. Not many players in the world have his skill set. As a bowler, you can use him in the different facets of the game. He can bowl with the new ball and the old ball. We have had multiple conversations. He is unfortunate with his injuries. He hasn't played since the IPL. Hopefully, he will come back soon. He will play some domestic cricket. And hopefully we will get him back in the Indian team soon," Shubman Gill said at the pre-match press conference ahead of the first ODI.HARDIK PANDYA'S RECENT INJURY HISTORYPandya's injury troubles began during IPL 2026, when he missed three matches for Mumbai Indians with back spasms. Although he returned towards the end of the tournament, playing his last competitive match on May 24, his fitness problems continued during rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE). In June, Pandya suffered a quadriceps strain during his rehabilitation, which ruled him out of the ODI series against Afghanistan. He subsequently missed the England ODI series as he failed to regain full fitness. His return was further delayed when he developed pain around his knee during fielding drills ahead of the Afghanistan T20I series.Pandya was named in the India A squad for the one-day series against Australia A in September, subject to fitness clearance, and was expected to return to competitive cricket in October. However, another setback followed when scans revealed an injury to his right shin. He was advised two weeks of complete rest, ruling him out of the Australia A series as well.The latest injury also meant Pandya missed India's entire white-ball series against New Zealand, comprising five T20Is and five ODIs. His absence from the ODI series, which begins on November 4, has further delayed his return to international cricket. Having not played competitive cricket since May, the all-rounder is now expected to use domestic cricket as a pathway back into the Indian team.India will begin the ODI leg of the tour on November 4 and play their final match on November 15. After the ODI leg, the focus will shift to a two-Test series, which begins on November 19, giving both teams little time to recover from the demands of the preceding formats.- Ends