Hardik Pandya to be fit for IPL 2024 & Afghanistan T20Is: In a development that could bring a sigh of relief for the Mumbai Indians (MI) fans, captain Hardik Pandya is on track to be fit for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan and will subsequently be available for the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Reportedly, Hardik Pandya, who has been sidelined in the ongoing international series due to an ankle injury that he sustained during the ODI World Cup 2023, has already recovered from the injury and is likely to be available for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan.
“He has completely recovered from his ankle injury. He has been training every day,” said a reliable source as quoted by the Times of India.
The reports earlier created a ruckus among the netizens that Hardik Pandya, who was recently elevated to the captain’s role in Mumbai Indians (MI), could miss the entire IPL 2024.
“Hardik is fit and fine. In fact, he has been working out daily. All the talk about him going on to miss the IPL is just rumour. There are still almost four months left for IPL-2024, so anything, at this moment, is just speculation.”
To simply things further, the reporters raised the same query with the BCCI secretary Jay Shah during the Women’s Premier League (WPL) Auction, to which he replied that the National Cricket Academy (NCA) medical team is handling him and the all-rounder could be fit before the Afghanistan T20Is as well.
“We are monitoring it (Pandya’s fitness) on a day-to-day basis. He is at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) only. He is working very hard, and we will let you know in due course the moment he is fit. Hardik could be fit before the Afghanistan series also,” said Jay Shah, Honorary Secretary of BCCI.
The India vs Afghanistan three-game T20I series will be held in January 2024. The series is set to begin on January 11 in Mohali.
Notably, Mumbai Indians (MI) shelled out a hefty sum of INR 15 Crores to trade in Hardik Pandya from Gujarat Titans (GT). Moreover, Hardik has also become the costliest player who has been involved in a trade in the IPL.
After striking a massive deal with Gujarat Titans to acquire Hardik, Mumbai Indians (MI) dropped another bomb when they announced the demotion of Rohit Sharma from the leadership position.
The joint most decorated IPL franchise, on December 15, confirmed that the upcoming IPL will see a transition in the MI’s leadership position with their long-standing and most successful captain – Rohit Sharma – passing on the baton to the newly recruited Hardik Pandya, who has previously served MI before heading to Gujarat Titans.
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For more details head to ICC’s official website.
