Hardik Pandya to miss Australia T20Is, Suryakumar Yadav or Ruturaj Gaikwad to captain India: Reports

Hardik Pandya was ruled out of the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 due to ankle injury.

Hardik Pandya, who was forced to withdraw from the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 due to an injury sustained against Bangladesh, is facing a setback in his recovery. The latest report has revealed that the star all-rounder Indian team is unlikely to regain his full fitness in time for the upcoming five-match series against Australia, which is set to begin on November 23. His left ankle ligament tear is proving to be a hindrance to his swift return to the cricket field.

The announcement of the team for India's home T20I series against Australia is expected to be withheld until men in blue will take the field for the World Cup 2023 semi-finals, which is anticipated to be held on November 15 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Hardik Pandya to miss the upcoming Australia T20I series

According to information from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to PTI, a more practical approach for Hardik Pandya would be to aim for full fitness by the commencement of South Africa T20I series in Durban on December 10.

"There is some time before Hardik can be declared fit and available for selection. It would be more practical for him to try and complete his rehabilitation with a possible 'RTP' (return to play) during the SA series. It will certainly be the NCA Sports Science Team's call," a senior BCCI source explained the development to PTI on conditions of anonymity.

In the absence of Pandya, there is speculation about the potential captains for the upcoming Australian series after the World Cup. There is a belief that either Ruturaj Gaikwad, the captain who secured the gold medal in the Asian Games, or Suryakumar Yadav will lead the team.

While Suryakumar Yadav is actively participating in the ODI World Cup, distinguishing himself from senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and the pace bowlers, he is currently being viewed as a specialist for the white-ball formats in both T20s and ODIs. This distinction in his role emphasizes the need for a fresh and specialized approach to optimize the team's performance.

"It is an accepted norm that white-ball Indian specialists (especially batters) can play 25–30 games per year across two white-ball formats apart from the IPL, fitness permitting. Hence, if Surya himself doesn't ask for rest, he is the favorite to lead the side. If not, Ruturaj is the next best choice," the report added.