Star Indian player Hardik Pandya is all set to miss the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27Scroll down to read the full story.
Published: November 7, 2026, 9:23 PM IST
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Hardik Pandya is set to miss Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (Image – BCCI)
Hardik Pandya will have to wait longer to make a comeback in cricket as he is missing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 as wellBaroda had recently announced their 15-member squad for the domestic T20 tournament but Hardik’s name was absent from the listThe team will be led by his brother Krunal Pandya in the competition.
Hardik last featured in a cricket match on May 24, 2026 for Mumbai Indians in the IPLSince then, he has not played any competitive matchesHis absence from the Baroda team means that he will not return to cricket through this tournament.
Earlier, Hardik was selected for India A’s one-day series against Australia A in OctoberHowever, he had to pull out of the team after suffering another injury to his shinHe was still feeling pain while bowling, which stopped him from playing in the series.
The Indian all-rounder has spent a lot of time at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru to get fit againHe first went there after suffering from back pain during the IPLLater, he also faced a leg injury, which further delayed his return to cricket.
Hardik last played for India in the T20 World Cup final against New ZealandThe match took place before IPL 2026Since then, he has stayed away from international and domestic cricket because of his injuriesNow, fans will have to wait longer to see him back on the field.
India are currently playing an ODI series against New ZealandAfter this, the team will play a T20I series against Sri Lanka at home in December.
With the ODI World Cup set to take place in Africa next year, India would want Hardik Pandya to return to the team soonHe is an important player for the team in T20 cricketHowever, head coach Gautam Gambhir has said that both Hardik and Jasprit Bumrah were “extremely important”, there was no question of taking them to the World Cup “half-cooked”.
