Hardik Pandya did not take the field for the second half of India's 2021 T20 World Cup opener against Pakistan after being struck on the shoulder by fast bowler Shaheen Afridi in the Indian innings. Ishan Kishan was the player who came in Pandya's place.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said that Pandya had been taken to the hospital for scans. Pandya had scored 11 runs of eight balls as India scored 151/7 in their innings.
Both Pandya and captain Virat Kohli had said earlier that the former is intended to be used as a bowler at some point in the tournament.
"Hardik is getting to the stage where he can bowl a couple of overs at some point during the tournament," Virat Kohli told reporters on Saturday.
The India captain said that he has always backed Hardik Pandya as a batter and he is very valuable for the team.
"What he brings at No 6 as a batter is something we can’t create overnight," said Kohli.
"Have backed him always there as a batter. We know the value he brings in, he is a specialist at doing that, can play an impact innings. Way more valuable than forcing him to do something he is not ready for," he said.