New Delhi: Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya is set to miss the five-match T20I series against Australia and three-match ODI and T20I series against South Africa due to a right ankle injury that he sustained during the World Cup league match against Bangladesh, suggests a media report.
The Indian Express reports that Pandya who is at the rehabilitation centre at National Cricket Academy, Bengaluru might be out of the action for another two months.
However, the medical team is yet to take a call on whether Pandya needs surgery or not.
“Two weeks ago, Pandya was asked to bowl in the nets with strength and conditioning coaches advising him to increase speed slowly. The support staff didn’t want him to put too much pressure on his ankle. It is learned that Pandya didn’t face any problems in the first three balls he bowled. He decided to increase the intensity of his bowling for the next delivery. It was during the fourth ball that he felt a bit of pain in his leg,” a source was quoted as saying by Indian Express.
Pandya informed the support staff about the pain he felt on his right ankle. The NCA medical team decided to get another round of scans done.
The tournament’s Event Technical Committee had approved seamer Prasidh Krishna as Pandya’s replacement. The 27-year-old, Krishna, who has made a comeback after a long injury layoff, has played 17 ODIs for India and has bagged 29 wickets.
IANS