# Team India Suffers Major Blow Ahead of New Zealand Tour As Hardik Pandya Ruled Out > The Indian cricket team faces a major setback ahead of its tour to New Zealand as star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is sidelined due to an injury. A bone injury in his right leg will force him to stay away from competitive action for at least three weeks. **Type:** article · **Category:** Cricket · **Published:** 2026-09-26 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/cricket/nyujilainda-daure-se-pahale-team-india-ko-tagara-jhataka-chota-ke-chalate-bahara-hue-hardik-pandya-38967 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Hardik Pandya, Indian Cricket Team, New Zealand Tour, Injury, Cricket News The Indian cricket squad has been dealt a significant setback ahead of the upcoming tour of New Zealand in October, as star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been ruled out of the assignment due to an injury. The schedule for the New Zealand tour features five T20 matches, three ODI fixtures, and two Test matches, with the opening fixture of the tour scheduled for October 22 with the T20 series. Although the official squad for the tour is yet to be announced, the absence of Pandya comes as a massive blow to the team planning. Pandya has remained out of action since his last international appearance during the final match of the T20 World Cup 2026, and he has been working towards regaining complete match fitness. ## Hardik Pandya Sidelined For At Least Three Weeks Hardik Pandya was initially selected by the board for the unofficial one-day series against Australia-A, but he has been forced to withdraw due to a bone injury in his leg. Reports indicate that the injury is located in his right leg bone, requiring him to stay away from competitive cricket for a minimum duration of three weeks. Before heading to New Zealand, the Indian team is scheduled to host West Indies for three ODIs and five T20 matches. A board source revealed regarding his fitness that the recent scan reports confirmed a bone injury in his right leg, prompting medical advisors to recommend complete rest for two weeks. The head of the board's medical panel, Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, has reviewed his reports and will examine him personally upon returning from Japan to determine the timeline for his rehabilitation process. ## Knee Pain Ahead of Afghanistan Series Earlier in September, during the home T20 series against Afghanistan, expectations were high regarding the comeback of Pandya, and his selection for the Asian Games was also virtually confirmed. However, right before the commencement of the series, he experienced pain in his knee during a fielding practice session, which prevented him from passing the mandatory fitness test and led to his exclusion. Recurring fitness hurdles and injuries have continuously troubled the premier all-rounder, creating challenges for the team management's roster planning. ## What this means for you The injury to Hardik Pandya impacts the tactical balance and lineup options for the Indian squad. - **Impact on Fans:** Supporters will miss out on watching the star all-rounder perform in the upcoming international series. - **Team Combination:** Selectors will need to evaluate alternative options for the upcoming fixtures against New Zealand and West Indies. - **Fitness Management:** The development brings renewed focus on player workload management and proper injury recovery protocols. - **Upcoming Tours:** India will have to execute its upcoming series plans without the services of its premier all-rounder. ## Why this happened The primary reason behind Hardik Pandya being sidelined is a detected bone injury in his right leg. - **Nature of Injury:** Scan reports confirmed an issue in his right leg bone, prompting medical advisors to recommend two weeks of absolute rest. - **Prior Setbacks:** He experienced knee pain during a fielding practice session ahead of the Afghanistan series, which caused him to fail the fitness test. - **Rehabilitation Protocol:** Medical panel head Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala is reviewing his case files and will determine the further treatment timeline upon returning from Japan. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. Why has Hardik Pandya been ruled out? Hardik Pandya has been sidelined due to a bone injury sustained in his right leg. ### 2. How long will he stay away from the field? He is required to stay away from competitive cricket for at least three weeks due to the injury. ### 3. Which upcoming tour is India scheduled to play? The Indian team is scheduled to tour New Zealand for a series featuring T20s, ODIs, and Tests. ### 4. When does the New Zealand tour begin? The tour of New Zealand will commence on October 22 with the T20 series. ### 5. Who is the head of the medical panel? Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala serves as the head of the BCCI medical panel. --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._