3 players who could benefit most from Hardik Pandya's absence

Hardik Pandya has been ruled out of India's three-match T20I series against Afghanistan after a leg niggle disrupted his rehabilitation. He had been bowling at full intensity during his recovery but was advised to pause, leaving him short of the required fitness levels.

Pandya has not played competitive cricket since captaining Mumbai Indians in the IPL on May 24, 2026. His continued absence has prompted the selectors to consider multiple all-rounder options, with the three T20Is against Afghanistan scheduled at Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi, beginning September 13, 2026.

3. Nitish Kumar Reddy

Nitish Kumar Reddy is widely regarded as the most natural successor to Pandya in India's T20I setup. The Sunrisers Hyderabad seam-bowling all-rounder showed considerable improvement with the ball during IPL 2026, developing a knack for picking up important wickets at crucial moments. In IPL 2026, he scored 302 runs at a strike rate of 171.59 and claimed eight wickets.

Reddy is part of India's Afghanistan T20I squad after missing the last few series due to injury. In the first T20I, he didn't get to bat and conceded 30 runs with the ball.