Hardik Pandya ruled out for six weeks
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Hardik Pandya will remain on the sidelines for six weeks as he recovers from the hairline fracture he had suffered in the nets before the start of the third Test match against England at Mohali. The 23-year-old all-rounder was earlier released from the Test squad by the BCCI alongside KL Rahul.
Pandya received a call-up to the Test squad for the ongoing series against England after impressing in the shorter formats of the game. But, his first Test series has ended on a sad note.
“BCCI medical team confirms that India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has sustained a hairline fracture on his right shoulder. He will take minimum six weeks to recover from this injury. BCCI medical team will monitor his progress & rehabilitation programme and update accordingly.
“Hardik was struck by a ball during a net session before the start of the Third Paytm Test match against England in Mohali,” read a press release by the BCCI.
The 23-year-old came into the limelight during the Twenty20 World Cup earlier this year when he bowled a brilliant last over against Bangladesh to win the match for India by a single run. However, he was not selected for the subsequent tour of Zimbabwe and his confidence began to wane. With India resting some key players after the New Zealand Test series, Pandya was called up to the ODI team for the first time and he did not disappoint, picking up the man of the match award on debut. Following his impressive performances in the ODI series, Pandya was called up for the Test squad to play England. But, he will now have to wait a while to make his Test debut.
The Indian team has encountered its fair share of injuries in this series so far. KL Rahul, who was expected to open the innings with Murali Vijay in the third Test, was left out of the team at Mohali as a last-minute forearm injury ruled him out. The BCCI is confident that Rahul will regain his fitness ahead of India's fourth Test in Mumbai on December 8. Wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha had picked up a thigh strain during the second Test against England and was also missing from the team at Mohali.
