Hardik Pandya Excluded from England Series Due to Injury

Hardik Pandya has been ruled out of the upcoming England series due to an injury, while Virat Kohli is also sidelined with a hamstring issue. The BCCI has announced the T20I squad, with the ODI squad expected soon. Pandya's recent performance has raised concerns, and confusion over his fitness assessment has emerged. Read on for more details about the Indian cricket team's current situation.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 20, 2026, 14:49 IST

Injury Update on Hardik Pandya

Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya will miss the upcoming series against England due to an injury, as confirmed by sources. The series is set to commence on July 1, featuring the first of five T20 matches, followed by a three-match One-Day International (ODI) series that will wrap up in late July.

Virat Kohli's Fitness Concerns

In related news, prominent batsman Virat Kohli is also out of action due to a hamstring injury he sustained during the IPL 2026 final, where the Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinched the title. Kohli is expected to take a fitness test on June 26, prior to the England series.

BCCI's Squad Announcements

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already announced the T20I squad for India and is anticipated to reveal the ODI squad shortly.

Pandya's Recent Performance Issues

Pandya has been struggling with a leg strain, which followed back spasms that caused him to miss four out of the 14 matches for the Mumbai Indians (MI) during the IPL. His performance was underwhelming, as MI finished in the lower half of the standings. In 10 innings, Pandya managed to score only 206 runs at an average of 22.88 and a strike rate of 138.25, while taking just four wickets.

Confusion Over Fitness Assessment

Additionally, Pandya is not participating in the ongoing three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. Prior to this series, sources indicated that he had been declared fit by the Committee of Experts (CoE) and submitted his fitness report to the BCCI two days before the scheduled departure.

"He was deemed fit by the CoE and sent his fitness report to the Board two days prior, but after his final session before leaving the CoE, he encountered some fitness issues," a source revealed.