Reports indicate Hardik Pandya unlikely to return before IPL 2027

Multiple reports indicate that Hardik Pandya faces an extended recovery from a stress injury to the inner side of his shin and is unlikely to play competitive cricket before the IPL 2027 season. The all-rounder is undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

According to Dainik Jagran, Pandya remains three weeks away from beginning light jogging, after which his running workload will increase gradually over eight weeks. The medical team has not set a fixed return date.

Pandya has not played since the 2026 T20 World Cup final. His expected absence rules him out of the New Zealand tour, the Sri Lanka series starting December 13, and the Zimbabwe ODIs in January.