Gautam Gambhir has explained what Hardik Pandya needs to do before India brings him back into international cricket. The focus is not on his reputation. India wants Hardik to prove that his body can handle the workload again.
For now, Hardik Pandya’s comeback appears to have a competitive-cricket checkpoint before India considers an international return.
Gautam Gambhir sets clear route for Hardik Pandya’s comeback
Hardik has not played for India since IPL 2026. He also missed four matches during the tournament. The selectors later named him in the India A one-day squad against Australia A, but he must first get fitness clearance.
Gambhir explained why the team does not want to rush Hardik back into international cricket after limited recent game time.
Gambhir first pointed to Hardik’s current bowling workload and lack of recent cricket before explaining India’s cautious approach.
“But again, Hardik, at the moment, if he cannot bowl ten overs and he hasn’t played a lot of cricket since the IPL, we don’t want to push him into international cricket, because international cricket can be extremely tough on your body as well,” Gautam Gambhir said in PC.
This makes the India A assignment very important for Pandya. They want him to play competitive cricket and show that he can handle the demands of the 50-over format.
Gambhir then outlined the next step, with the Australia A series potentially becoming Hardik’s first competitive cricket since his IPL 2026 appearances.
“So if he plays that India A series, he’ll get some game time as well. And that was the clear message to him: if he can play that A series and then if everything goes well, he can come back and be part of the T20s and the one-day squad as well.”
So, Hardik Pandya could be seen playing for India A against Australia A in Puducherry, if he gets fitness clearance.
The three one-day matches will take place on October 6, October 9 and October 11 in Puducherry.
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Why Hardik Pandya remains so important for India
India are being careful with Hardik because his return can make a big difference to the team.
Hardik Pandya’s value comes from his ability to contribute with both bat and ball. With the bat, he gives India a strong middle-order option. He can score quickly and change the game in a short period.
His bowling gives India another useful option.
Hardik is not just a player who bowls a few overs when needed. He has become a useful seam bowler who can change his length and use different variations according to the situation.
His hard-length bowling can make it difficult for batters to attack him. He can also change his pace and use other variations when batters look to score. India have also used him with the new ball when needed. He can also bowl in the death overs.
This flexibility is very useful in ODI cricket. It allows the captain to build the team around a genuine seam-bowling all-rounder.
The importance of this role became clear during the 2023 ODI World Cup. Hardik took five wickets in India’s first three matches before an ankle injury against Bangladesh ended his tournament.
His injury forced India to change their team combination. After Hardik missed the rest of the tournament, India eventually brought in Prasidh Krishna as his replacement.
Hardik’s absence is therefore not just about losing one batter or one bowler. India loses a player who can contribute in both areas. He gives the right balance to the team.
That is why, when he is fit and available, he remains a proven match-winner and one of India’s most valuable all-round options.
Nitish Kumar Reddy gives India an important backup
India also cannot depend only on Hardik’s availability.
The current selection decisions show that the team is already preparing for other possibilities.
Nitish Kumar Reddy was initially picked in India’s Asian Games T20I squad. He has now moved into the ODI squad for the upcoming West Indies series. This move gives him a chance to get more experience in the 50-over format.
His recent performances have also helped his case. Reddy finished India’s three-match T20I series against Afghanistan with six wickets at an average of 13.16. He also took 3 for 25 in the third game.
Gautam Gambhir believes India can benefit from giving Reddy more opportunities.
Gambhir explained that India’s growing pool of seam-bowling all-rounders could eventually create more than one combination.
“We know how important seam-bowling all-rounders will be in a year’s time when we go to South Africa, and the more the merrier. And once Hardik comes back, obviously, it’s going to be good.”
The India coach also said India could use both players together once Hardik is fully ready.
Gautam Gambhir specifically highlighted how Hardik’s return could add another selection possibility instead of automatically replacing Nitish.
“Sometimes we could even go on to play both of them in the playing XI.”
This gives India another option. The team does not have to find one player who becomes “the next Hardik Pandya.”
Nitish is one option. Players such as Shivam Dube give India another batting all-rounder option. The lesson from the 2023 World Cup Hardik injury is clear. A team preparing for another ODI World Cup needs more than one option for an important role.
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What comes next for Hardik Pandya?
Hardik needs to prove that he can play competitive cricket and, more importantly for ODI selection, build towards the bowling workload India expects from him. If he does that, his return could give India another middle-order batter, another seam-bowling option and another proven match-winner.
At the same time, India’s work with Nitish Kumar Reddy and other all-round options gives the team more choices if Hardik is unavailable.
With the 2027 ODI World Cup approaching, India still has time to test different combinations before the tournament.
What do you think? Will Hardik Pandya’s India A comeback in October become the first major step toward reclaiming his place in India’s ODI setup? Let us know in the comments.
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