Indian veteran all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been troubled by injuries throughout his career; This time, he was ruled out of consecutive series for India due to a quadriceps injury during the Asia Cup. After missing from international cricket, Hardik is all set to play for Baroda in domestic cricket.
Hardik Pandya is out of cricket after getting injured during India’s final Super-4 stage game in the Asia Cup 2025. He also missed the thrilling final against Pakistan, the tour of Australia and now the home series against South Africa.
The cricketer is rehabilitating at the BCCI Center of Excellence and has been reported injured for the second time, which could send him into a further delay. But he is finally revived and is all set to return to action.
Baroda thrilled for Hardik Pandya’s first full season in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
Hardik Pandya will return to action in the 2025 season with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. His last participation in the tournament was in 2024, when Hardik played under his brother Krunal Pandya.
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy begins tomorrow, November 26, as Baroda take on Bengal in the first group-stage game. As for the Baroda State team, their head coach Mukund Parmar has confirmed that Hardik will be available for most of the group stage games.
Good news for Baroda [Bharat Sharma from PTI]
– Baroda head coach Mukund Parmar confirmed that Hardik Pandya will be available for most of the group stage matches at Syed Mushtaq Ali. pic.twitter.com/P4Qh0pk3yy
– Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) 25 November 2025
Baroda Team for SMAT: Krunal Pandya (captain), MG Patel, Mitesh Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Shivalik Sharma, Amit Pasi, Safwan Patel, Dhruv Patel, Mahesh Pithiya, Vishnu Solanki, Hardik Pandya, Atit Sheth, Raj Limbani, Rasikh Salam, Chintal Gandhi, Bhanu Paniya, Ninad Rathwa, Shashwat Rawat and Lakshit Toxia.
Hardik Pandya did not play in South Africa ODI and he is likely to play in T20 also
Hardik will have to prove his fitness in domestic cricket to make a comeback in international cricket in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Reports have claimed that on the basis of his fitness proof, he will be included in India’s T20 team for the South Africa series.
The T20I series against South Africa starts on December 9, and Hardik may return to the team in place of Nitish Kumar Reddy, who could not play a single T20I match despite being a part of the series.
He has been rested from the ODI against South Africa, as he is yet to make a proper comeback in the white-ball format. Along with him, Jasprit Bumrah has once again been rested from the ODI series.
What will India’s playing eleven be like in the ODI series against South Africa without Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel?
Axar Patel has been dropped from the ODI team after playing consistently in all formats of the game. Hardik Pandya has also been ruled out; Therefore, the Indian playing XI will look very different.
India could bring in Yashasvi Jaiswal as a replacement for Shubman Gill, while the middle order could include Tilak Verma or Rishabh Pant in place of injured Shreyas Iyer.
Also read: Not Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill!! Ravichandran Ashwin names the biggest villain for India’s defeat against South Africa