While Hardik Pandya's absence may not have been felt during India's victory over New Zealand, the fast-bowling all-rounder's ankle injury recovery is still vital to the team's balance as it advances further in the 2023 ICC World Cup. However, Hardik's chances of being ready for India's next two matches are slim.
While bowling during India's match against Bangladesh, Hardik suffered a left ankle injury. Following scans, he has been receiving medical attention from doctors at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.
There is some uncertainty regarding Hardik's availability for India's upcoming matches, which are against England on October 29 and Sri Lanka on November 2, according to latest media reports.
An NCA source was quoted by PTI saying, 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.”
With a foot in the semi-finals, the Indian squad is in a position to let Hardik recover completely and rest for the next two matches by not risking him.
"Pandya has suffered a bad sprain but fortunately not a fracture. The BCCI medical team wants to take maximum precautions. He is likely to miss the next two to three matches. The team wants him fully fit for the knock-out stage," PTI quoted a BCCI source.
