India may not have missed the absence of
Hardik Pandya
in their win against New Zealand, but the fast-bowling allrounder’s recovery from the ankle injury remains critical to the team’s balance going deeper into the 2023 ICC World Cup. But the chances of Hardik returning fit in time for India’s next two matches are not bright.
Hardik injured his left ankle while bowling during India’s match against Bangladesh.
He had scans done and has since been under the care of doctors at the NationalCricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.
However, according to latest media reports, there is some doubt over Hardik’s availability for India’s next couple of matches — against England on October 29 and against Sri Lanka on November 2.
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In its medical update on Hardik’s injury the day after the match against Bangladesh, the BCCI had said that he “will join the eam directly in Lucknow where India play England”. But that is not likely now.
As reported by PTI, Hardik had reached the NCA in Bengaluru on Monday for injury management.
“Hardik is still under medication. While the swelling on his left ankle has subsided considerably, he will start bowling only towards the weekend. Right now, important is to give him time to recover,” PTI quoted an NCA source.
Unbeaten India sit atop the points table with five wins in a row.
With a foot in the semifinals, the Indian team is in a position to not risk Hardik before he fully recovers and allows him to rest for the next two matches.
“Pandya has suffered a bad sprain but fortunately not a fracture. The BCCI medical team wants to take maximum precaution. He is likely to miss next two to three matches. The team wants him fully fit for the knock-out stage,” PTI quoted a BCCI source.