Hardik Pandya misses Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy after injury setback delays return ahead of T20 WC

Hardik Pandya will miss Baroda’s 15-member squad for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India’s domestic T20 tournament, the report said on November 8, 2026 in New Delhi. The all-rounder has not returned to competitive cricket since the IPL and will be absent from the tournament squad.

Hardik last featured in competitive cricket on May 24 during an IPL 2026 fixture for Mumbai Indians. He had been initially included in India A’s one-day squad for the October series against Australia A but withdrew after suffering a fresh shin injury. According to ESPNcricinfo, Hardik was not completely pain-free while bowling at the time. His last international appearance came in the T20I series against New Zealand at home, shortly before the start of IPL 2026.

Since the conclusion of the IPL, Hardik has spent considerable time at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru recovering from a series of fitness setbacks. Those setbacks include back spasms sustained during the IPL and a subsequent leg strain.

India, currently engaged in the ODI series against New Zealand, are scheduled to return to T20I action in December for a home series against Sri Lanka. With the ODI World Cup in Africa scheduled for next year, India would be keen to have their premier T20 all-rounder back in the mix as early as possible. Hardik’s return to action will be crucial as the team looks to build combinations and fine-tune its preparations ahead of the marquee tournament.

The Baroda squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy also features Jitesh Sharma, Deepak Hooda and Rasikh Salam.

Krunal Pandya has been named captain of the 15-member Baroda side. They will begin their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign against Chandigarh in Mumbai on November 14.