Photo via Hindustan Times

Gautam Gambhir breaks silence on Hardik Pandya's prolonged absence: ‘He can’t bowl 10 overs at the moment'

Following India's T20I series triumph against Afghanistan, head coach Gautam Gambhir addressed the status of Hardik Pandya, clarifying that the all-rounder is currently incapable of handling a full ten-over bowling workload in 50-over cricket. The Mumbai Indians skipper has been sidelined from national duty since the 2026 Indian Premier League due to persistent physical setbacks, complicating the squad's preparations for the ODI World Cup.

While Pandya earned a spot in the India A group to face Australia A pending a clean bill of health, selectors omitted him from the forthcoming ODI series against the West Indies slated to begin on September 27. Gambhir emphasized that the team intends to ease him back gradually, requiring him to log sufficient competitive overs with the A team before returning to the senior white-ball sides.