India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has reportedly been ruled out of the upcoming white-ball tour of England in July 2026. Meanwhile, senior batter Virat Kohli will need fitness clearance from the BCCI before returning to international cricket.
Both players are currently recovering from injuries and missed the ongoing ODI series against Afghanistan.
Hardik Faces Longer Recovery; Kohli’s Fitness Under Watch
According to reports, Hardik has not fully recovered from his quadricep injury. The injury occurred while he was already recovering from a back spasm. Earlier, the recovery period was expected to be around three weeks, but it now appears that he will need more time before returning to action.
As a result, Hardik is unlikely to be available for India’s three-match ODI series in England next month.
Virat Kohli is also working his way back from injury. The former India captain suffered a hamstring injury during the IPL 2026 final. Despite the setback, Kohli played a match-winning knock of 75 not out for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and helped the franchise lift its second IPL title.
Reports suggest that Kohli will have to prove his fitness before receiving a return-to-play clearance from the BCCI medical team. The board is expected to closely monitor his recovery in the coming weeks.
With Hardik and Kohli unavailable for the Afghanistan series, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Harshit Rana were added to the squad. Jaiswal struggled to make an impact, while Rana did not feature in any match. The team management decided not to rush the fast bowler back into action after his recent recovery from a knee injury.
It is still unclear whether Kohli will need to visit the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for fitness testing. If not, he could join the Indian squad directly in the United Kingdom.
India’s management will be keen to have both stars fit soon, especially with the 2027 ODI World Cup approaching.
