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Hardik Pandya nears full fitness; aims to play for Baroda before South Africa series: Report

Akshita Patel

Hardik Pandya will return to competitive cricket [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X.com]Hardik Pandya will return to competitive cricket [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X.com]

India’s star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is all set to make his long-awaited return to competitive cricket later this month. After weeks of intense rehab, Pandya is expected to feature for Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Pandya’s road to recovery has been a patient yet determined one. He injured his left quadriceps during India’s Asia Cup fixture against Sri Lanka, forcing him to miss the final against Pakistan and the subsequent tours of Australia. 

Since then, he’s been training under close supervision at the BCCI CoE, focusing on fitness, mobility, and bowling workloads.

Hardik Pandya to return to competitive cricket with SMAT

According to a TOI report, Hardik Pandya is nearing full match fitness and could play Baroda’s opening Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy fixture on November 26 in Hyderabad. 

Even if he doesn’t make it in time for the first game, he’s expected to return for the second, ensuring some vital match practice before India’s upcoming ODI series against South Africa. 

The three-match series against the Proteas begins on November 30, with games scheduled in Ranchi, Raipur, and Visakhapatnam. 

Reports also say that Hardik Pandya has looked in excellent shape during training sessions, and once cleared under the BCCI’s Return-to-Play (RTP) protocol, he will fly directly to Hyderabad to join the Baroda squad. 

There will be no break between his rehabilitation and competitive return, a clear indication that the all-rounder is eager to regain rhythm before donning the India blue again. 

Hardik Pandya had a mixed run in the Asia Cup

In his last international assignment before injury, Hardik Pandya had a mixed run in the Asia Cup 2025.

In six matches, he scored 48 runs at a strike rate of around 120 and took 4 wickets with an economy of 8.57. 

His all-round contributions helped India in key middle overs, but a quadriceps injury during the game against Sri Lanka ruled him out of the final against Pakistan.