Fit-again Hardik Pandya set to play first match in two months

This will be Hardik Pandya’s first Ranji Trophy match in more than a year. He last played a first-class match for his state, Baroda, against Gujarat during the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy season.

Hardik Pandya is set to play his first competitive match since picking up a back injury against Pakistan in the Asia Cup in September. Pandya has been asked by the BCCI to feature in Baroda’s Ranji Trophy clash against Mumbai starting December 14 to prove his fitness before the ODIs in Australia.

Pandya, away from action for more tthan two months, was not included in the Indian T20I and Test sides for the Australia tour and was instead named in the India A one-day squad for the New Zealand series. A last-minute change in plans because of Pandya’s slow recovery from injury has however, prompted the board to ask Pandya to feature in a Ranji Trophy game instead.    

The Baroda all-rounder will continue training under the watchful supervision of physios in National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru till then.

This will be Pandya’s first Ranji Trophy match in more than a year. He last played a first-class match for his state, Baroda, against Gujarat during the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy season.

In the India A side, Pandya will be replaced by someone from the four-day squad which has already played two four-day matches against New Zealand A with both of them ending in pale draws.