Hardik Pandya is set to make his comeback in the field after sustaining an injury in the Asia Cup Super Four match and will be available to play in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Baroda.
According to a PTI report, the 32-year-old has been cleared to return to competitive cricket in the shortest format after completing his Return to Play (RTP) procedures at the CoE.
It will be his first match after the Asia Cup, which was held in September. National selector Pragyan Ojha will attend the next two matches and will monitor the fitness level of Hardik Pandya.
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Hardik’s left quadriceps injury kept him out of the Australia tour and the ongoing ODI series with South Africa. He started his rehabilitation on October 15 and worked on his fitness from a stretch of October 21st to November 29th. As reported by Espncricinfo, the squad for the T20Is against South Africa is expected to be announced in three to four days. If everything goes well, Hardik’s return to the international side is almost confirmed.
The first Twenty20 International between India and South Africa is set to be played on December 9 in Cuttack, followed by a match in Mullanpur. Hardik's return also fits into the BCCI's overall workload-management strategy.
With the 2026 T20 World Cup less than three months away, the board has prioritised keeping its star all-rounder fresh and accessible for the format where he has the greatest influence, rather than hurrying him back into ODIs with limited immediate context.
Hardik Pandya’s inclusion in the team gives the team more stability with both bat and ball, and can help the team to go with an extra spinner in conditions like India. If Hardik comes into the squad, whose play he will take will be interesting to see.
