Hardik Pandya’s comeback suffers fresh blow, shin injury rules him out of Australia A and New Zealand tour: Report

Hardik Pandya has not played competitive cricket since the final week of IPL 2026.

Updated on: Sep 26, 2026, 08:09:50 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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Senior India all-rounder Hardik Pandya's comeback bid suffered a fresh blow, effectively ruling him out of the impending white-ball tour of New Zealand.

Hardik Pandya during a training session ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final. (PTI)

Hardik has not played competitive cricket since the final week of IPL 2026. He was expected to return to action for India A in the upcoming One Day series against Australia A, starting October 6, and accordingly, his 'Return To Play' date was set for September 20.

"This is very unfortunate, but Hardik's latest scan reports have revealed an injury to his right shin. He has been advised to complete rest for a period of two weeks. BCCI's medical panel head Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala has seen his reports and on his return from Japan, will assess him and decide on when he can start his rehabilitation," a BCCI source tracking COE developments told PTI on condition of anonymity.

The injury rules him out of the India A series and effectively ends any possibility of his comeback for the New Zealand tour, where India will play five T20Is starting October 22.

This development comes just days after PTI reported that a section of BCCI officials wanted Hardik in the ODI series against the West Indies, but the selectors intervened.

Friday's report also revealed that the BCCI wanted Hardik in the Asian Games squad and had even asked for his passport for visa-related work.

Hardik had reported a shooting pain around his knee during fielding drills right before the start of the Afghanistan T20 series, after which he took a break and decided to rest for a few days. But the pain resurfaced just as he was getting ready to receive the green light for his return.

With the New Zealand series also out of his way, Pandya will now have to wait for the Zimbabwe ODIs if he is fit to play, or perhaps test his fitness in the Vijay Hazare Trophy or Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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