New Delhi: India allrounder Hardik Pandya on Thursday was ruled out from the upcoming home series against Australia due to an injury. The BCCI, in a media release, said that the 26-year-old was suffering from lower back stiffness. Allrounder Ravindra Jadeja has been recalled to the ODI squad to replace Pandya, while no replacements were made for the T20I squad.
As per the media release, the right-arm bowler will undergo a strength and conditioning training at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru from next week. “The BCCI Medical team decided to rest the all-rounder and let him undergo strength and conditioning work for his lower back at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. Mr. Pandya will begin his strength work from next week,” the BCCI said in a statement.
“The T20I squad will now consist of 14 members. Mr. Ravindra Jadeja has been named as the replacement for Hardik Pandya for the 5 ODIs,” the statement added.
Pandya had suffered a lower-back injury during the Asia Cup match against Pakistan last year and had to be stretchered off the field. In his absence, Vijay Shankar will remain the sole bowling all-rounder in India’s 14-member T20I squad.
Jadeja last played for India in the 5th ODI against Australia in Melbourne last month. The left-armer was not picked in the playing XI in the 5-match ODI series against New Zealand, with Pandya being preferred over him. He was also not included in the following T20I series against the Kiwis.
India and Australia will play the first T20I on February 24, 2019, in Visakhapatnam. The two teams will compete in two T20Is and five ODIs.
