Hardik Pandya ruled out of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with shin injury
Hardik Pandya misses Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy due to shin injury setback. The all-rounder was traded from Mumbai Indians to Punjab Kings earlier this month.
Hardik Pandya's fresh shin injury has forced him out of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and Baroda won't replace him in their squad. He'd been named in India A's one-day squad for the October series against Australia A but pulled out of the domestic T20 competition entirely.
Krunal Pandya will lead Baroda instead, with Jitesh Sharma, Deepak Hooda, and Rasikh Salam rounding out the side. The timing compounds an already complicated off-season: Hardik was traded from Mumbai Indians to Punjab Kings for Arshdeep Singh ahead of the IPL auction — a move both franchises approved on November 7. It ends his second stint at MI and puts him under Shreyas Iyer at Punjab Kings.
When he'll return to fitness remains unclear, and with the T20 World Cup on the horizon, the recovery window is tightening.
CricHubb Take
Punjab Kings inherit a problem they didn't budget for: an expensive all-rounder arriving injured, while Hardik faces pressure to prove he can stay fit through a World Cup year. The franchise's depth at pace now matters more than they expected.