Published 15:08 IST, November 28th 2019
Hardik Pandya inches closer to return, shares training picture with Krunal & Bumrah
All eyes are on India's premium all-rounder Hardik Pandya as to when he would return to action following his break from cricket due to an injury
India's premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya is eyeing to make a comeback to the national squad after sitting out for more than four months due to an injury. The explosive all-rounder, whose injury resurfaced during the World Cup, has returned to training on the field and has been regularly updating the fans about his return via his social media handle. Hardik Pandya, on Thursday, took to Twitter to share a picture of himself along with brother Krunal Pandya and pacer Jasprit Bumrah while training with them. Jasprit Bumrah, who has also been sitting out of the side due to an injury, too is eyeing to make a comeback to the Indian squad. With all eyes on the T20 World Cup next year, Hardik Pandya will be aiming to reclaim his spot in the side's limited-overs squad.
Hardik Pandya inches closer to making a comeback
An injury-marred year for Hardik Pandya
India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been out of action for many months now after having undergone surgery for his lower back issues. The Mumbai all-rounder first faced problems in his back during the Asia Cup campaign in the United Arab Emirates in September 2018. The injury resurfaced during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 which forced him to miss out on India’s tour of the West Indies that followed. He returned and played in the three-match T20I series against South Africa in October but he had not recovered fully. The right-hander had to undergo surgery which has kept him on the sidelines for quite some time now.
This year hasn’t been an ideal for Hardik Pandya, whether it is his on-field performances or his off-field shenanigans. He missed the Australian Test series due to an injury that India went on to win. He was also suspended from international cricket along with teammate KL Rahul for his derogatory remarks on women on an Indian talk show. The only solace for Hardik Pandya in 2019 was an impressive Indian Premier League campaign in which he contributed immensely to Mumbai Indians' title-winning campaign. However, he could not quite replicate his form in the World Cup. The all-rounder's injury opened doors for Mumbai based all-rounder Shivam Dube. He recently made his T20I debut against Bangladesh where he played a crucial role with the ball in the third and final T20I.
Updated 15:28 IST, November 28th 2019