India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has reportedly taken a significant step to extend his international career by permanently relocating to Bengaluru and making the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) his primary training base. According to PTI, The move is aimed at ensuring better fitness management as the 32-year-old targets the 2027 ODI World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where cricket will make its return after more than a century. The Mumbai Indians player, has rented a property on the outskirts of Bengaluru, close to the Centre of Excellence, becoming the first Indian cricketer to use the BCCI's elite facility as his permanent training base for the remainder of his playing career. Previously based in Mumbai, the all-rounder reportedly decided to relocate because daily travel from his Lower Parel residence had become difficult, while the CoE offers world-class facilities for rehabilitation, fitness, recovery and skill development.

A BCCI source told PTI that Hardik intends to continue playing white-ball cricket for another five to six years. Besides utilising the CoE's resources, he will also work with his own physiotherapist and personal strength and conditioning coach to carefully manage his workload. The report added that Hardik even pays net bowlers from his own pocket during additional batting sessions. Hardik is currently recovering from a quadriceps injury that ruled him out of India's ongoing white-ball tour of the United Kingdom. He is expected to resume rehabilitation at the CoE shortly and will return to competitive cricket only after completing the BCCI's Return-to-Play protocols, with his

long-term focus firmly fixed on the 2027 ODI World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games.

Quadriceps injury rules Hardik Pandya out of England ODI series

India have suffered a major setback ahead of the three-match ODI series against England, with star all-rounder Hardik Pandya ruled out after sustaining a quadriceps injury. The 32-year-old picked up the injury during training at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, delaying his return to international cricket and extending his rehabilitation period. Hardik had been expected to make his comeback in the ODI series after spending several weeks undergoing rehabilitation and participating in high-intensity training sessions at the CoE. However, medical assessments revealed a quadriceps strain, forcing the BCCI medical team to rule him out of the England tour as a precaution. The injury is not considered long-term, but the board has opted to prioritise his complete recovery rather than risk aggravating the issue.

The all-rounder's absence leaves a significant gap in India's balance, as he remains one of the team's most valuable white-ball players with his ability to contribute with both bat and ball. His injury also affects India's plans in the middle order and reduces their pace-bowling options, especially in English conditions where seam-bowling all-rounders play a crucial role. Hardik is now expected to continue his rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where he has recently shifted his permanent training base. According to reports, he has made fitness his top priority with the long-term objective of remaining available for the 2027 ODI World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The BCCI is expected to closely monitor his recovery before clearing him for competitive cricket, with no official return date announced yet.