India

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has recovered from the ankle injury suffered in the ODI World Cup 2023 and has started bowling at full tilt. The all-rounder posted a video on his official X handle where he can be seen bowling and doing other drills. Pandya is expected to be back for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season where he'll captain Mumbai Indians (MI) for the first time. He was recently traded to MI from Gujarat Titans in December 2023. Pandya spent two seasons with Titans as the skipper from 2022 to 2023.

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"I'm feeling very good after coming back here. I treat (this ground) as a temple, because the amount of things I've learnt on this ground, it's like a temple for me. What it has taught me is priceless. My journey started literally 17 years back on this very ground. I will make sure everything possible today, and every day," Pandya said in the video posted on X. Have a look at the clip below:

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Pandya got injured on October 19 against Bangladesh in OD WC and hasn't played since. He missed out on the five T20I series against Australia at home right after the quadrennial tournament before missing the South Africa tour as well. He was also not part of the Afghanistan T20Is at home earlier this month.

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Pandya's fitness is crucial to India's plans in white-ball cricket, especially in T20Is. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli playing selective T20Is, he's seen as a potential skipper to lead the side. IPL 2024 will play an important role in proving his fitness as India prepare for the T20I World Cup scheduled to be played in June later this year in West Indies and the USA.

Pandya, however, has proven his credentials as a leader, guiding Gujarat Titans to victory in their first season in the IPL 2023. He also took the team into the final in the next season but lost to eventual winners Chennai Super Kings.