Team India all-rounder Hardik Pandya could face a much longer spell on the sidelines, with a fresh report suggesting that he may not return to competitive cricket until the IPL 2027, which is expected to begin in March. The 32-year-old continues to recover from a stress injury on the inner side of his calf and there is still no confirmed date for his return.
According to a leading publication, Hardik Pandya is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. His comeback will depend on how well he progresses through the different stages of his fitness programme.
The report also stated that Hardik Pandya’s medical reports were reviewed by Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala last week. As part of his rehabilitation plan, the all-rounder is expected to start jogging after three weeks. His running workload will then be increased gradually over the following eight weeks.
Hardik Pandya’s strength training is also being increased carefully under medical supervision to avoid putting additional pressure on the injured area. However, the medical team has not yet established a timeline for him to regain full match fitness. If his recovery takes longer than expected, Hardik Pandya could miss India’s home series against Sri Lanka as well. He has already missed a significant amount of cricket in 2026 because of his injury.
His list of missed assignments includes three ODIs against Afghanistan at home; the tours of Ireland and England, during which India played 11 matches, comprising eight T20Is and three ODIs; the five-match T20I series in Zimbabwe; and three T20Is against Afghanistan in New Delhi.
Hardik Pandya has also missed the white-ball series against West Indies at home, which included three ODIs and five T20Is, the 2026 Asian Games and a historic one-off T20I against Japan. In addition, he was not selected for India’s tour of New Zealand. His participation in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe is also uncertain. India’s ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka are scheduled to begin on December 13, while the ODI series against Zimbabwe is set to start on January 3.
Hardik Pandya last featured in a competitive match for Mumbai Indians during the IPL 2026 in May. His most recent international appearance came in the final of the 2026 T20 World Cup in March. With his rehabilitation continuing and no definite comeback date in place, Indian cricket fans may have to wait longer to see the experienced all-rounder return to action.
Get well soon, Hardik Pandya!
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