Hardik Pandya’s return date announced, but his comeback to professional cricket comes with a condition

Although Hardik Pandya has been named for the India A squad, his participation is subject to fitness clearance.

Updated on: Sep 9, 2026, 15:55:15 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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India all-rounder Hardik Pandya is all set to return to competitive action for the first time since the end of the IPL 2026 season, but his participation comes with a fitness caveat. Hardik has been picked for the India A white-ball team for the impending series against Australia A, to be held later this month in Pondicherry.

Hardik Pandya picked in India A squad (PTI)

Pandya last appeared during the Mumbai Indians' disastrous IPL campaign in the 2026 edition. He has since been out with a quadriceps injury, which has prevented him from attaining full fitness. He had sustained an injury during a fitness test at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The injury forced him to miss the ODI series against Afghanistan and the subsequent limited-overs contests as well.

Although Hardik has been named for the India A squad, his participation is subject to fitness clearance.

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Australia A's tour will begin with multi-day matches, where Devdutt Padikkal will lead the India A team. Sai Sudharsan has been named vice-captain of the India A squad for the multi-day matches after recovering from a foot injury. The first game will be played in Puducherry from September 22, followed by the second game from September 29 at the same venue. This will be followed by three one-dayers on October 6, 9 and 11 in Puducherry. Ruturaj Gaikwad will captain the one-day side.

India A Multi-Day Squad: Devdutt Padikkal (C), Sai Sudharsan (VC), Aman Mokhade, Ayush Pandey, Yash Rathod, Shaik Rasheed, Kumar Kushagra (WK), Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Tushar Deshpande, Anshul Kamboj, Praful Hinge, N Jagadeesan (WK), Nachiket Bhute, V Vyshak.

India A One-Day Squad: Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Devdutt Padikkal (VC), Priyansh Arya, Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Kumar Kushagra (WK), Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, Arshin Kulkarni, Arshad Khan, Naman Dhir, Hardik Pandya, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Gurjapneet Singh, Yash Thakur.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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