Hardik Pandya to miss Australia A series as leg injury delays return

Hardik Pandya's comeback to the field has been delayed once more. The Indian all-rounder is nursing a leg injury and will miss next month's three-match one-day series against Australia 'A', Ratopati English reported, citing Cricinfo. Doctors have told him to rest completely for about two weeks and will examine him again afterwards. Pandya had been included in the India 'A' squad for the series, which starts on October 6 in Puducherry, but his place depended on passing a fitness test. The matches were regarded as an important opportunity to find out whether he could get through a full spell of 10 overs. India travel to New Zealand in November for a five-match one-day series. Before that tour, the team management had hoped to ease Pandya back into match rhythm and get him fit to bowl in 50-over cricket. The trouble resurfaced during his fitness assessments. In the first test on September 17 he bowled but could not finish the 10-over quota, which was considered necessary for a return to 50-over cricket. In the second test on September 19 he again felt pain in his thigh. A scan followed, and doctors prescribed two weeks of rest, after which his condition will be reviewed.