India’s star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is expected to miss the T20I series against Afghanistan but will be ready for the Indian Premier League (IPL) after recovering from an ankle injury, as per sources. Pandya, who sustained the injury during a game against Bangladesh in October, has been absent from international cricket since then. Suryakumar Yadav filled in for him during the T20I series against Australia and the tour to South Africa, with KL Rahul leading the team in ODIs. The upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan will be India’s final international assignment before the ICC T20 World Cup in June.
In a significant move, Pandya transferred from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians in November and was announced as the new skipper of the team, succeeding Rohit Sharma. Pandya’s impressive all-round performance with Gujarat Titans from 2022-23 and his previous tenure with Mumbai Indians from 2015-2021, where he won five IPL titles, has added anticipation and excitement to the upcoming IPL season.