Hardik Pandya’s wait for a return to competitive cricket could extend until the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), reportedly scheduled to begin in March 2027. The Indian all-rounder is continuing his recovery from a stress injury on the inner side of his calf, with no confirmed timeline for his return to action. According to a report by Dainik Jagran, the 32-year-old is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.

His comeback will depend on how he progresses through a carefully monitored fitness programme. The report further stated that Pandya’s medical reports were reviewed by Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala last week. As part of his rehabilitation plan, the Mumbai Indians star is expected to resume jogging after three weeks. His running workload will then increase gradually over the following eight weeks.

Pandya’s strength training is also being intensified cautiously under medical supervision to avoid placing additional stress on the injured area. However, a definitive timeline for his return to full match fitness has yet to be established.

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If his recovery takes longer than expected, Pandya could miss the home series against Sri Lanka, scheduled to begin on December 13. His participation in the ODI series against Zimbabwe, starting January 3, also remains uncertain.

🔴HARDIK PANDYA NEXT COMEBACK COULD BE ONLY IN IPL 2027🤯

– Hardik is recovering from a shin stress injury at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

– He could start jogging in 3 weeks, followed by 8 weeks of gradually increasing his running workload.

– No timeline has been set for his full match fitness.

– He is likely to miss the upcoming international series due to his recovery.

– By then, domestic tournaments like the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy will also be over.

— Sam (@cricsam02) October 21, 2026

The all-rounder has already missed a significant portion of India’s 2026 international schedule, including the Afghanistan ODIs, tours of Ireland, England and Zimbabwe, the home white-ball series against West Indies, the Asian Games and the historic one-off T20I against Japan. He was also not selected for the New Zealand tour.

Pandya last played competitive cricket for Mumbai Indians during IPL 2026 in May. His most recent international appearance came in the final of the 2026 T20 World Cup in March.

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With several important assignments potentially slipping away, India will hope Pandya makes a complete recovery before returning to action. His fitness remains crucial, given his ability to contribute with both bat and ball across formats.