The Baroda vs Bengal match today (December 28) will be Hardik Pandya‘s first List A game since October last year. The all-rounder was supposed to feature in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 opener against Tripura on December 21 but made himself unavailable for not just that match but also the following game against Kerala due to personal reasons.
Hardik Pandya ready for Vijay Hazare Trophy
It was initially reported that Hardik would play just the knockout stage matches if Baroda qualified for the next stage. That report was refuted a couple of days back, with the all-rounder set to return for Baroda’s third match in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. According to Cricbuzz, Hardik will feature against Bengal and the remaining Group E matches against Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi.
“He (Hardik Pandya) had some personal issues, and that is why he was not available for the first few games. He has reached Hyderabad, and he will play tomorrow. He has had some discussions with coach Mukund Parmar and will be playing from now on,” Ajit Lele, the secretary of the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA), told Cricbuzz.
Preparing for ICC Champions Trophy
A vital cog in Team India’s ODI machinery, Hardik playing 50-over cricket once again bodes well ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The all-rounder provides the needed balance in white-ball cricket and played a crucial role in India lifting the T20 World Cup 2024 trophy earlier in the year. Hardik has played in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy and was the only shining light for India in the final loss to Pakistan.
Hardik Pandya’s ODI and List A record
| Matches | Runs | Bat Average | 100s & 50s | Wickets | Bowl Average | Economy | Bowl SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 86 | 1769 | 34.01 | 0 & 11 | 84 | 132 | 5.55 | 38 |
| List A | 107 | 2103 | 32.35 | 0 & 13 | 100 | 152 | 5.41 | 39.4 |
