ind vs eng: Hardik Pandya out of ODI series against England, questions on Virat Kohli’s fitness also

By Samira Vishwas On Jun 22, 2026

Ind vs eng: The Indian cricket team suffered a setback before the ODI series against England. All-rounder Hardik Pandya could not meet the fitness standards and hence has been ruled out of the series. According to media reports, Pandya has not yet been able to complete the bowling workload required for ODI cricket and he needs some more time to become fully fit. Pandya could not bowl full 10 overs during the fitness test.

At the same time, Virat Kohli has also not played ODI against Afghanistan due to injury. There has also been an update on his fitness. Kohli’s fitness test may take place on June 26. If found fit, he will play in the ODI series against England.

Hardik will not play ODI against England
32 year old Pandya has been out of the ODI team for a long time. Recently it seemed that his return was near. He completed fitness test and rehab at BCCI’s Center of Excellence in Bengaluru. He also bowled the entire 10 overs in the practice session, which raised hopes that he could make a comeback in the England series. However, he suffered another setback during rehab.

Hardik got injured again
In the same month, Hardik also had to be ruled out of the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. Then he had a quadriceps strain problem. It is believed that the increased bowling workload to regain fitness had an impact on his muscles and a new injury emerged.

Hardik was also injured during IPL

IPL 2026 was also not easy for Hardik. While playing for Mumbai Indians, he suffered from back spasm, due to which he remained out of many matches. However, he made a comeback in the final stages of the season. But did not look completely fit.

Hardik’s absence is a big concern for the Indian team. As a fast bowling all-rounder and finisher, he provides excellent balance to the team. Whenever he is out of the team, India struggle to find the right combination. The team had to face a similar challenge after the ankle injury suffered against Bangladesh in the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Actually, the team management was planning to play 50 over cricket to Hardik regularly keeping in mind the 2027 ODI World Cup. Selection Committee Chairman Ajit Agarkar has also recently said that keeping Hardik fit like Jasprit Bumrah is one of the biggest priorities of the team.

Meanwhile, the Indian team is busy looking for all-rounder options. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had recently praised Nitish Kumar Reddy as a possible backup and future option for Hardik. In such a situation, the team management will also keep an eye on the young players in the coming months.

At present the biggest question is whether Hardik Pandya will be able to regain full fitness in time. Because his staying fit in the path of 2027 World Cup is being considered an important part of India’s plans.