Hardik Pandya ruled out of India's Afghanistan ODI series with injury

India’s all‑rounder Hardik Pandya, 32, suffered a quadriceps strain/leg sprain while undergoing fitness tests at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The injury forced his exclusion from the three‑match ODI series against Afghanistan, scheduled to begin on 13 June in Dharamsala, followed by games in Lucknow (17 June) and Chennai (20 June). A BCCI source said, “With three weeks for recovery, there is absolutely no chance of him playing the ODI series as his rehabilitation will not be complete.” Pandya had only recently cleared a fitness assessment after back‑spasm issues during IPL 2026, making his setback a significant blow to India’s preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup. The Board has yet to name his replacement, with players such as Nitish Reddy, Shivam Dube and Yashasvi Jaiswal mentioned as possible alternatives. Rohit Sharma has cleared his own fitness test, while captain‑in‑waiting Virat Kohli remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.