Hardik Pandya to miss New Zealand white-ball tour after fresh right-shin injury

Hardik Pandya has suffered a fresh injury to his right shin and is expected to be sidelined for at least three weeks, a layoff that rules him out of India’s forthcoming white-ball tour of New Zealand, according to the report published on September 25, 2026.

Pandya’s planned Return To Play date had been set for September 20 and selectors named him in the India A squad for the One-Day series against Australia A beginning October 6. "This is very unfortunate, but Hardik's latest scan reports have revealed an injury to his right shin. He has been advised to complete a 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 board had intended for Pandya to travel with the contingent to Japan for the Asian Games and the operations team had taken his passport for visa processing, but a recurrence of pain derailed those plans. Ahead of the Afghanistan T20 series he experienced a shooting pain around his knee during fielding drills, took a short break, and then, as he prepared to obtain a fitness certificate, the discomfort returned and scans identified the latest problem.

Pandya, 32, relocated to Bengaluru after the IPL and has been training at the Centre of Excellence in the city, according to the report. Over the past four months he has suffered fresh niggles on at least three occasions — during the Afghanistan ODIs, the England T20Is and now ahead of the Australia A assignment — setbacks that have repeatedly interrupted his path back to full fitness.

The New Zealand T20I leg is scheduled to start on October 22, followed by the ODI series, and there is no chance of Pandya making a comeback by then, the report states. With his immediate availability ruled out, the India A selection and the planned Return To Play date will be revisited once medical clearance and rehabilitation timelines are established.

With the New Zealand tour now out of contention, Pandya will have to wait for the Zimbabwe ODIs if he regains fitness or potentially prove his readiness in domestic events such as the Vijay Hazare Trophy or the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, according to the source.