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Hardik Pandya has been practicing for India’s upcoming five-match T20I series against England at home.
Hardik Pandya will return to action next week. (Screengrab)
Hardik Pandya is sweating it out ahead of his return to action in India colours as he gears up for the upcoming white-ball matches against England and in the Champions Trophy 2025. Pandya, who last played a 50-over game for India in October 2023, is expected to be selected for the marquee tournament slated to be held next month.
Clips of Pandya’s practice session where he had a face-off with India skipper Rohit Sharma have been doing the rounds on social media.
The India allrounder bowled to Rohit and then did some batting practice himself.
At one point during the training session, Pandya was seen playing a majestic no-look ramp shot.
Pandya was part of India’s squad when the Champions Trophy was last held in 2017 and was the top scorer in the final match against Pakistan. India had lost that game by a margin of 180 runs.
Pandya will also feature in the upcoming five-match T20I series against England.
At the international level, the 31-year-old was last seen in action in November 2024 during a four-match T20I series against South Africa.
Following the conclusion of the series, the star allrounder turned out for his domestic team Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 and Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Meanwhile, India’s T20I team will continue to be led by Suryakumar Yadav while Axar Patel has been named as his deputy.
Reacting to the decision to drop Pandya from leadership duties, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra felt that the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee must explain the reason behind the move. “It’s a development that needs an official word. He was leading India in Rohit’s absence. Now, he’s not even the VC. I’d like to hear from the selectors about their thought process,” Chopra wrote on X.
The T20I series starts from January 22 in Kolkata.
