India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has started bowling at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru after returning from a check-up in the UK. He has been out ever since he underwent surgery in the UK last October. While speaking to IANS, an NCA source said that Pandya has started bowling and will be available for selection soon.

“He is back from the UK after a routine check-up and has also started bowling from this week. He should be available for selection soon. Can look at him with an eye on the South Africa series as you still have a month to go for the first ODI against the Proteas in Dharamsala,” the source added. “It was a routine check and there wasn’t anything more to it.”

Both Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah had hired the trainer Rajnikanth Sivagnanam to undergo rehab after their injuries. While Yogesh Parmar was looking after on Pandya’s progress following his back surgery, Nitin Patel did that for Bumrah during his rehab after the stress fracture the seamer had suffered on his back.

But the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly said that all players must report to the NCA to undergo rehab.

“I met Rahul Dravid yesterday, and we have put a system in place. The bowlers will have to go to the NCA. If anybody (else) has to treat them, they will have to come to NCA,” Ganguly had said.

“Whatever may be the reason, we will accommodate everything. We will also make sure the players are comfortable and they don’t feel left out or out of place. So, we will do it that way. We are going full throttle with the NCA. Construction work will start (at the new land) and it will be a state-of-the-art unit. In 18 months’ time, if we are still there, you will see an NCA that will be spick and span,” he shared.

“The team management spoke to him when he trained with Virat Kohli and boys on the eve of the opening ODI against Australia at the Wankhede Stadium and asked him to complete his rehab at the NCA,” a source shared.