BCCI Secretary Jay Shah reveals latest development on Hardik Pandya’s comeback to the Indian cricket team

Hardik Pandya’s World Cup campaign was cut short due to an ankle injury sustained while attempting to stop a ball during a game against Bangladesh. The renowned all-rounder of the Indian cricket team is on the verge of making a comeback to the field. In Indian cricket, top-notch fast-bowling all-rounders are a rarity, and Pandya is one of the few who possess this exceptional skill set. His career has been plagued by frequent and lengthy injury breaks, yet his potential as the future captain of the Indian cricket team in white-ball formats, particularly T20Is, has garnered significant attention. His presence on the field leading up to the 2024 T20 World Cup holds immense importance. Unfortunately, during the recently concluded ODI Cricket World Cup in 2023, Pandya missed a majority of the matches due to the ankle injury. He was unable to participate in the remaining matches and has not been included in any of India’s squads for the upcoming Tour of South Africa. However, he may return to action as early as next month. “Hardik Pandya could be fit for Afghanistan T20 series in January,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. The Afghanistan National Cricket Team will be embarking on a thrilling tour of India for a three-match T20I series in early January 2024. The series is set to commence on January 11 and will conclude on January 17. It is worth noting that India has emerged victorious in all five of their previous encounters in T20I matches against Afghanistan. However, with the recent successes of the Afghan team, including their impressive performance in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, where they secured the 6th position on the points table, it is clear that they are a force to be reckoned with.