Hardik Pandya has been left out of Baroda’s squad for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as he continues his rehabilitation from a tibial bone stress injury. The all-rounder has not returned to competitive cricket since IPL 2026 and remains unavailable for selection.
Pandya has also been out of international action since India’s T20 World Cup final against New Zealand on March 8. His recovery had raised hopes of a possible return when he was named in India A’s squad for the one-day series against Australia A in Puducherry. However, a setback involving his shin injury delayed those plans.
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BCCI Wants Hardik to Focus on Rehabilitation
According to Cricbuzz, the BCCI has instructed the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) to allow Pandya to concentrate on his rehabilitation programme at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru rather than participate in the domestic T20 tournament.
The decision suggests that the management is prioritising his complete recovery before considering a return to competitive cricket. Pandya’s fitness remains important for India’s upcoming international commitments, making a cautious approach necessary.
Krunal Pandya to Lead Baroda
With Hardik unavailable, his elder brother Krunal Pandya will continue as Baroda’s captain for the tournament. All-rounder Atit Sheth has been named vice-captain.
Baroda have been placed in Elite Group A alongside defending champions Jharkhand, Bengal, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh and Mizoram.
Baroda Squad for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
Krunal Pandya (captain), Atit Sheth (vice-captain), Deepak Hooda, Shivalik Sharma, Shashwat Rawat, Amit Passi (wicketkeeper), Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Bhanu Pania, Mahesh Pithiya, Parikshit Patidar, Hemant Punde, Raj Limbani, Rasik Dar, Dhruv B. Patel and Safvan Patel.
Standby players: Priyanshu Moliya and Chintal Gandhi.
Baroda will begin their campaign without one of their biggest names, while Hardik continues working towards a full recovery at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence.