Pandya’s latest setback comes soon after Virat Kohli was also ruled out, compounding India’s selection concerns. Reports indicate that the star all-rounder has picked up a quadriceps injury that will require around three weeks of recovery, ruling him out of the entire series.
The Mumbai Indians skipper had already endured a difficult IPL season, playing only 10 matches before being sidelined with back spasms. He had been undergoing rehabilitation and fitness assessments at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru in a bid to regain full fitness.
However, it is understood that the quadriceps issue may have occurred while Pandya was bowling his full quota of overs during those fitness tests. According to a BCCI source, the injury has effectively ended his chances of featuring in the upcoming ODI assignment.
“With three weeks for recovery, there is absolutely no chance of him playing the ODI series as his rehabilitation will not be complete,” a source was quoted as saying.
India are already dealing with multiple injury concerns, with Virat Kohli earlier ruled out after suffering a hamstring injury during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL final against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. Yashasvi Jaiswal has been named as Kohli’s replacement, while a replacement for Pandya is yet to be announced.
There are also doubts surrounding Rohit Sharma’s fitness, with the veteran opener yet to be confirmed available for the series.
India ODI squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), KL Rahul (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey.
