Hardik Pandya was left out of Baroda's 15-member squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India's domestic T20 tournament starting on 14 November, because of ongoing injury and fitness concerns, including a shin injury.
He last played competitive cricket on 24 May in IPL 2026 for Mumbai Indians. The long gap since then underlines how much time he has spent managing his fitness this year.
His brother Krunal Pandya will captain Baroda, who open their campaign against Chandigarh on 14 November. The squad also includes Atit Sheth as vice-captain, along with Deepak Hooda and Jitesh Sharma.
A fresh setback
The omission is a fresh setback for Hardik, whose career has been interrupted by injuries at several points. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is the main domestic T20 competition, and missing it removes a key chance to build match fitness.
Baroda will have to manage without their biggest name, but Krunal's leadership gives them an experienced captain who knows the squad well. The brothers have played together for Baroda and Mumbai Indians for years.
What it means for India duty
The tournament final is on 6 December, and India play Sri Lanka in ODIs from 13 December and T20Is from 22 December. Hardik's availability for those matches is not yet known.
Much will depend on how his shin injury responds in the coming weeks. The selectors will want evidence of fitness before picking him for international duty, and the domestic tournament would have been the natural place to provide it.
Baroda's campaign ahead
Baroda open against Chandigarh on 14 November, and their early games will show how the side copes without Hardik. Krunal will lead a squad that still has depth in batting and bowling.
For Hardik, the focus now shifts to recovery and to being ready for whatever comes next in the calendar.
