Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya is preparing to make his return to red-ball cricket with Baroda in the upcoming 2024-25 domestic season. A senior official from the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) has verified this news.
Pandya's comeback is strategically timed in preparation for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia later this year. Recently, Pandya has been seen honing his skills for the T20I series against Bangladesh, set to commence on October 6, by practicing with a red ball.
According to a report from Sports Tak, Hardik Pandya is set to participate in both white-ball and red-ball cricket for Baroda. A source from the Baroda Cricket Association informed Sports Tak that there is a strong possibility of the Mumbai Indians captain featuring in red-ball cricket, which could potentially increase his chances of being selected for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in November.
Hardik's last appearance in Test cricket was during the Southampton Test against England in 2018, and he has not played Test cricket for India since then. His most recent first-class cricket match was during the 2018 Ranji Trophy. Despite this, Pandya has not been included in any of the teams participating in the current Duleep Trophy 2024.
With less than a month to prepare, Pandya is gearing up for Baroda's opening match in the Ranji Trophy on October 11 against the defending champions, Mumbai. This upcoming opportunity presents a crucial moment for Pandya to showcase his skills and potentially earn a spot in the national team for the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The all-rounder's commitment to earning his place in the team was evident when he said, "If I want to play Test cricket, I'll go through the grind and earn my spot."
In order for Pandya to be considered for the Indian Test squad, it is imperative that he participates in an adequate number of domestic cricket matches. Currently, Pandya has played in 11 matches, accumulating 532 runs with an average of 31.29. He has achieved one century and four half-centuries, with his highest score being 108.
As a bowler, Pandya has taken 17 wickets in 11 matches, averaging 31.05. In his First-Class cricket career, he has appeared in 29 matches, scoring 1,351 runs at an average of 30.02. Additionally, he has secured 48 wickets in these 29 matches, with an average of 30.95.
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