Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya finds himself on the road to recovery after sustaining a left ankle injury during India’s ODI World Cup 2023 clash against Bangladesh in Pune. The incident occurred as Pandya attempted to prevent a boundary off of his bowling, resulting in a twisted ankle.
Unfortunately, this setback forced him to miss the remainder of the World Cup, including India’s loss to Australia in the final. Subsequently, he was unavailable for the T20I series against Australia and the subsequent South African tour. Meanwhile, news reports suggest that the Indian Cricket Board has adopted a cautious approach towards Hardik’s return, considering the upcoming T20 World Cups in 2024 and 2026.
The National Cricket Academy (NCA) has crafted an 18-week program tailored for Pandya’s recovery, encompassing cardio, strength training, functional training, and comprehensive rest and recovery. The program is slated to conclude in March. The emphasis on workload management is evident in this approach, with a focus on setting long-term goals and maintaining optimal endurance levels.
Is Hardik Pandya an injury-prone player?
While the injury has raised concerns, sources close to the matter stress that there is no doubt about Hardik’s capabilities as a T20 cricketer. They highlight the importance of distinguishing the current injury from previous ones, asserting that Pandya’s earlier back injury is unrelated to the recent ankle incident.
Addressing any concerns about Pandya being labelled injury-prone, sources emphasize his successful comeback from the previous back injury and note that he has been in superb shape. The ankle injury is deemed an unfortunate accident rather than a recurring issue, reinforcing the notion that Pandya remains a formidable asset for Indian cricket once he completes his recovery program and returns to full fitness. It’s worth noting that Indian Team Management will want Hardik to be competitively fit before the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.
