Team India all-rounder Hardik Pandya may reportedly join Baroda to play red-ball cricket in the 2024-25 domestic season. This move could be important given India’s busy red-ball schedule, which includes three home Tests against New Zealand and five away matches each against Australia and England.
Right now, India is playing with Bangladesh in a Test series that consists of two matches. The first game is being held at MA Chidambaram Stadium located in Chennai, while Green Park (Kanpur) will host the second Test from 27th September-1st October.
As per Sports Tak report quoting BCA’s top source, Pandya has chance to come back to first-class cricket for Baroda in 2024-25 domestic season as they have to keep in mind New Zealand Test series and Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.
https://x.com/hardikpandya7/status/1836726082629763370?s=46
Interestingly enough, the 30-year-old was seen practicing red ball in his recent video released on social media.
When did Hardik Pandya last play Test cricket for India?
Originally praised as the next Kapil Dev, the all rounder from Baroda has not participated in Test cricket for India since 2018 when he was part of the visitor’s squad for red ball tour to England.
As of now, the right-arm pacer has only played in 11 Test matches and claimed 17 wickets with an average of 31.05 since his red ball debut against Sri Lanka at Galle in July 2017. Pandya has a five-wicket haul registered in Test matches. He took 5-28 against England during a match at Nottingham on August 2018.
At the age of 30 years, he has made 532 runs in Test match including one century and four half-centuries with a batting average at 31.29. His highest score was 108 runs which was scored off just 96 balls against Sri Lanka in Pallekele, August 2017. This aggressive knock included eight fours and seven sixes.
Importantly, his last first class match came against Mumbai at Wankhede Stadium back in December 2018. Although Pandya hasn’t played red-ball cricket in some time, he has participated in 86 ODIs and 102 T20Is, and was a member of Team India’s squad that won the 2024 T20 World Cup.
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