Gautam Gambhir Sets Clear Roadmap for Hardik Pandya’s India Return

Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach, highlighted the rationale for the cautious approach to Pandya’s return. The coach devised a planned plan for the all-rounder’s return to the national team.

Gautam Gambhir has made it plain that Pandya must establish his fitness in competitive cricket before returning to the national team. The India A series versus Australia A will be a critical step forward in his recuperation and assessment.

On September 17, 2026, India completed a 3-0 T20I series sweep over Afghanistan as the team continued to prepare for impending international assignments. The series victory came amidst ongoing team management decisions that impacted numerous players, notably all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who has been out due to injury recovery.

Pandya has not played competitive cricket since the IPL 2026 season, when he suffered a back injury while leading the Mumbai Indians. A quadriceps ailment and a leg niggle kept him out of white-ball games against Afghanistan, Ireland, England, and Zimbabwe.

Pandya has been chosen to the India A squad for a 50-over series against Australia A, pending fitness clearance from the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru.

Reddy concluded the Afghanistan T20I series as the highest wicket-taker on both sides, with 6 wickets at an average of 13.16 and an economy of 8.77. In the last T20I, Reddy took 3 for 25 as Afghanistan were bowled out for 94.

Gautam Gambhir : It’s unfair if the captain does not receive the best team.

On September 16, 2026, the coaching staff selected three India teams, two India A teams, and one Rest of India side for the next month and a half of cricket.

Gautam Gambhir remained with the ODI side for the West Indies series from September 27 to October 3, followed by five T20Is beginning October 6. VVS Laxman has been chosen India’s head coach for the Asian Games.