Gambhir warns Pandya against half-cooked ODI return

India head coach Gautam Gambhir said Hardik Pandya must secure adequate game time before returning to the ODI side for the West Indies series starting Sunday. Pandya missed four IPL matches with back spasms, the Afghanistan ODI series with a quadriceps strain, and subsequent tours to Ireland and England. He was also omitted from the T20I squad for the Asian Games. Gambhir told JioHotstar that Pandya's value lies in his ability to bowl ten overs and bat at six or seven, yet the 32-year-old has played little cricket since the IPL. He added that players cannot arrive at the 2027 World Cup half-cooked and that rhythm matters more than selection pressure. Pandya is expected to make his comeback with India A against Australia A in Puducherry between October 6 and 11.