Hardik Pandya marked his return to competitive cricket after recovering from an ankle injury that forced him out during the 2023 ODI World Cup. Playing for Reliance 1 in the DY Patil T20 Cup in Navi Mumbai, Pandya not only opened the bowling but also contributed with the bat, picking up 2 for 22 in three overs and scoring an unbeaten 3 off four balls to secure a two-wicket victory against Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited.
Having spent the last two months working on regaining full fitness, Pandya resumed training in Baroda three weeks ago. He participated in three practice T20s organized by the NCA alongside Rishabh Pant in Alur last week, where he both batted and bowled. Following these matches, the NCA cleared Pandya to feature in the DY Patil tournament.
Pandya’s successful return is a positive development for Mumbai Indians, as he is set to replace Rohit Sharma as the team’s captain in IPL 2024. The tournament begins on March 22, and Pandya will undergo a final fitness assessment at the NCA in early March before joining the Mumbai Indians’ pre-season camp.
Players other than Hardik Pandya to make a return to competitive cricket
The DY Patil tournament also sees the comeback of players like Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shreyas Iyer. Suryakumar, recovering from sports hernia surgery in Germany in January, is making a return. However, the absence of Kishan and Iyer from the Ranji Trophy has raised questions about prioritizing domestic cricket over just the IPL, as mandated by the BCCI for contracted players.
Kishan, who last played for India in December, opted out of the Test squad in South Africa for personal reasons and hasn’t featured in red-ball cricket since. Iyer, on the other hand, was left out of India’s squad after modest performances in the first two Tests against England. Despite being cleared for selection, he sat out Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy quarter-final, citing back spasms, and is poised to lead Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL after missing the previous season due to a back injury requiring surgery.
Also read: WATCH: Hardik Pandya Unhappy with Food Served on Set, Causes a Seen
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