Hardik Pandya To Return For White-Ball Series Against South Africa?

India’s premier all-rounder is reportedly fit and ready for the white-ball challenge, marking his highly anticipated return from injury.

October 22, 2025: Star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who has been sidelined since the Asia Cup 2025, is on track to make his highly anticipated return to the national squad for the upcoming limited-overs series against South Africa in November.

According to a report published in the Times of India on Wednesday, October 22, the 32-year-old is spending the next four weeks at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru to complete his rehabilitation for a quadriceps injury.

No Surgery Needed, Focus on Match Fitness

Pandya sustained a quadriceps injury during the Asia Cup in the UAE, which forced him to miss the final against Pakistan on September 28 and the ongoing multi-format tour of Australia.

The good news for Team India is that the all-rounder will not require surgery for the injury. He checked into the CoE last week, took a short break for the Diwali festivities, and rejoined the facility on Wednesday to resume his training.

Sources indicate that the medical team assessed the injury last week and “didn’t raise any major concerns,” charting out a timeline for his return that targets the South Africa series. Pandya, who turned 32 on October 11, played six matches in the Asia Cup, scoring 47 runs in four innings and taking four wickets.

India vs South Africa Full Schedule

The South African Proteas are scheduled to tour India next month for a multi-format series comprising two Tests, three One Day Internationals (ODIs), and five Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). Pandya’s return is expected for the white-ball leg of the tour, which begins after the Tests.

Format	Match	Date	Venue
Tests	1st Test	Nov 14 – Nov 18	Eden Gardens, Kolkata
	2nd Test	Nov 22 – Nov 26	Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
ODIs	1st ODI	Nov 30	Ranchi
	2nd ODI	Dec 3	Raipur
	3rd ODI	Dec 6	Visakhapatnam
T20Is	1st T20I	Dec 9	Cuttack
	2nd T20I	Dec 11	Mullanpur
	3rd T20I	Dec 14	Dharamsala
	4th T20I	Dec 17	Lucknow
	5th T20I	Dec 19	Ahmedabad

The all-rounder’s timely return will provide a significant boost to the squad’s balance, especially ahead of the three ODIs and five T20Is.