MUMBAI, June 9 — Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya and veteran batsman Rohit Sharma are set to return to international cricket after receiving formal fitness clearance for the three-match One Day International home series against Afghanistan. The medical staff at the BCCI Centre of Excellence concluded final physical evaluations on Tuesday, clearing the way for both players to join the national squad in Dharamsala.
The availability of both senior figures provides a major boost to the team configuration following their respective injury absences during the domestic T20 league. Pandya had traveled to the Bengaluru training facility on June 2 to address lingering back issues, while Sharma reported to the medical panel on Monday to clear his rehabilitation protocols for a hamstring strain.
The cricket board maintained its strict policy requiring comprehensive physiological clearances for all contracted athletes transitioning out of injury breaks. Detailing the standard evaluation procedure, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia stated:
“We are following a process for whoever gets injured; every player needs to get the certificate from our team at the CoE.”
The national team management had anticipated the returns, with coaching staff noting during recent press briefings that both players were progressing well through their recovery schedules. The upcoming series serves as a critical preparatory platform for the squad’s middle-order and leadership combinations ahead of the packed international calendar.
In contrast to the positive updates for Sharma and Pandya, top-order batsman Virat Kohli continues his recovery under separate medical supervision following a hamstring tear sustained during the recent domestic championship finale. Team management noted that young batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal will fill the vacant batting slot against Afghanistan, while the medical team aims to have Kohli fully recovered for the subsequent tour against England in July.
