Hardik Pandya has been cleared by the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence to return to competitive cricket and will turn out for Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT).
The all-rounder is expected to play against Punjab on December 2 and Gujarat on December 4, with Baroda keeping the option open for a third game depending on his physical response. Pandya has not played since suffering a left quadriceps injury during the Asia Cup in September, which forced him out of the Australia series and the ODIs in South Africa. He reported to the CoE on October 14 and spent more than six weeks in a structured rehabilitation programme, gradually increasing his workload before completing the board’s Return-to-Play protocol on November 30. The clearance confirms he is fit to resume all facets of his game, including bowling.
Although there were early discussions about him returning directly for the ODI series in South Africa, the BCCI medical staff preferred a phased comeback, allowing Pandya to regain rhythm through domestic T20s. With the T20 World Cup approaching, the selectors and team management have prioritised a careful build-up over a rushed return.
Baroda will closely assess how his body responds to match workloads, especially his bowling across consecutive games, before deciding on his participation in the December 6 fixture against Haryana. National selector Pragyan Ojha will be monitoring his progress and updating the Ajit Agarkar-led committee as they firm up India’s T20I squad for the South Africa tour.
India’s T20I series begins on December 9 in Cuttack, followed by matches in Mullanpur and other venues. Pandya’s domestic return offers India a timely boost ahead of a crucial run-in to the 2026 T20 World Cup.
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