New Delhi: Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya is likely to join the squad in Raipur on Thursday for their Sunday fixture against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The all-rounder did not travel with the first batch of players on Wednesday and will link up with the squad on Thursday.
Pandya's Injury and Rest Period
It has been reliably learnt that Pandya was advised a precautionary rest for about a week after sustaining a back spasm during the match against Chennai Super Kings. This injury forced him to miss the home fixture against Lucknow Super Giants. The decision regarding his participation in the Raipur match will likely be made closer to the fixture.
There is no need to panic, as the team management expects him to be back on the field wearing the captain's armband for the following matches, even if he misses the RCB game.
Other Absentees from First Travel Batch
Pandya was not the only absentee from the players who traveled on Wednesday. Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Tilak Varma, Quinton de Kock, and some other foreign players also did not travel. This was part of the planned strategy, as the five-time champions had a long break between fixtures and wanted to allow their players to recharge before the next challenge.
Suryakumar Yadav's Availability
Apart from Pandya, there is suspense over Suryakumar Yadav's participation in the next fixture. The right-hander might miss it for personal reasons. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma traveled with the first batch on Wednesday and will aim to regain complete match fitness before the big fixture against RCB.
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