Hardik Pandya Makes SMAT Comeback Ahead of South Africa T20I Squad Announcement

Hardik Pandya is all set to feature for Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), marking his first professional appearance since late September. His return adds excitement to the tournament as fans and selectors await updates on his fitness.

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Selector Monitoring

National selector Pragyan Ojha is expected to attend Baroda’s matches against Punjab (Dec 2) and Gujarat (Dec 4). His main objective will be to evaluate Hardik’s match-readiness after a long injury layoff.

Injury & Rehab Timeline

Hardik last played for India in the Asia Cup Super Fours match vs Sri Lanka on September 26. A left quadricep injury kept him sidelined. He reported to the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on October 15 to start rehab. After a short Diwali break, he continued intensive work from October 21 to November 29 to regain full fitness.

T20I Selection Angle

Hardik’s SMAT participation comes at a crucial moment, with selectors expected to announce India’s squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa in the next few days. Whether he plays more games for Baroda will depend on when he is asked to join India’s preparation camp.

Baroda’s Recent Form

Baroda had a shaky start in SMAT, losing to Bengal and Puducherry. However, the team regained momentum with a win against Himachal Pradesh, and Hardik’s arrival adds a significant boost to their campaign.

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