Hardik Pandya Ruled Out Of T20I Series Against Australia Due To Ankle Injury
Pandya was ruled out of 2023 WC due to ankle injury [AP]
In a significant setback for team India, ace all-rounder Hardik Pandya is all set to miss the upcoming T20I series against Australia due to an ankle injury. Notably, the seam bowling all-rounder sustained the injury during India's World Cup clash against Bangladesh, after which he didn't further participate in the marquee event. As reported by ESPN Cricinfo, Pandya is yet to recover from the injury and hence won't feature in the Australia T20Is.
India's squad for the series will be picked tomorrow. As mentioned in the report, most of the senior players, currently playing in the World Cup, will be rested for the series. In such a scenario, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel will likely pick the players who represented the nation in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
In Pandya's absence, it won't be surprising if the selectors name Ruturaj Gaikwad the captain for the series, as he led the side in the Asian Games. The Asian Games squad had dynamic players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh and Tilak Varma, who are also likely to be picked for the Australia T20I series.
After the conclusion of the World Cup, India will cross swords against the Aussies in a five-match T20I series starting on the 23rd of this month.
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