IPL News: Final call on Hardik Pandya's IPL Participation, due in three weeks

What's the story

Mumbai Indians' all-rounder Hardik Pandya is one of India's most vital cogs as far as India's preparations for the World Cup are concerned. But the Baroda-based player is also going through a phase of injury, having already ruled out from the upcoming series against Australia that starts on February the 24th.

As of late, it now seems as if Pandya may have to pull the curtains on his IPL participation too, in a bid to become fully fit to play in the World Cup. A final call on whether or not Pandya will play for Mumbai Indians in the upcoming IPL, is said to be due in a time frame of 3 weeks.

In case you didn't know

A stiff back is the reason why Hardik Pandya has not been able to play as much as he may want to, in the past few months. In fact, the player has not been up and around much in the Indian colours since the Asia Cup in 2018. He did feature in the away ODI series against Australia earlier in January, but the recurring back problem has created further trouble once again.

Team doctors decided that the star middle-order batsman and valuable pace option could do with more rest on Thursday, 21 February - and the management immediately went ahead with the decision to remove his name from the squad list. It has also been decided that Pandya will now visit the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, where he will undergo rigorous tests and training regimes to get himself back in time for the World Cup.

The heart of the matter

Sources close to the player have revealed that while the rehabilitation program is yet to begin, only after it gets over can anything be said about the player's physical condition. The programme will also give an insight on whether he can participate in the upcoming IPL, which has been scheduled to begin on March the 23rd.

“Too early to speak about that (IPL participation) at present. He has a stiff back and it is not like he is carrying any injury. After the three weeks of training at the NCA, he will once again undergo a fitness test and the decision on his participation in the T20 league will be taken then,” the source said.

Meanwhile, the Australian series was thought of as a prime space for Pandya to hit the right note ahead of the World Cup, especially after all the Koffee with Karan fiasco playing spoilsport with his game time in Australia and the subsequent returning home midway during the New Zealand series that followed. Pandya was well and truly rearing to have another go against the Aussies when injury struck once again.

What's next

Mumbai Indians will be fancying their chances in India's Premium T20I cricket league this year, as they are quite convinced that their IPL player auctions have worked well in their favour. Not only did they buy some shining young talent from across the country, but they also managed to haul in the colossal Yuvraj Singh for his base price itself, which is a remarkable feat.

Hardik Pandya's potential absence would hence come in as a blow for Rohit Sharma and Co, but considering the big picture it won't be so, as everyone has now started preparing for the bigger price that awaits the best cricketing country, in June at England - the World Cup.

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