Hardik Pandya likely to be play red-ball cricket for Baroda. Courtesy: PTI

Hardik Pandya likely to play red-ball cricket for Baroda in 2024-25 season

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has his eyes on returning to red-ball cricket after last playing first-class cricket way back in 2018.

by · India Today

In Short

  • Hardik Pandya last played first-class cricket back in 2018
  • In 2018, Hardik also played his last Test match
  • Hardik was seen practising recently with the red ball

Hardik Pandya is likely to be available for red-ball cricket for Baroda in the 2024-25 domestic season. A top source in the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) said that there is a chance for Pandya to return to first-class cricket, keeping in mind the Test series against New Zealand and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Australian soil later this year.

Recently, Pandya was seen practising with the red ball. The 30-year-old is also planning to play white-ball cricket for Baroda. Pandya hasn't played first-class cricket since representing Baroda in the Ranji Trophy clash against Mumbai way back in 2018.

He last played Test cricket for India back in 2018 against England at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. Having played 11 Tests where he has a top score of 108 against Sri Lanka and a five-wicket haul against England at Trent Bridge, Hardik has done well in the limited opportunities he has got.

'Don't feel that I earned my spot'

Last year, before India's World Test Championship final against Australia, Hardik had said that it would not have been fair had he taken a spot in India's Test team after sitting out for long time. Pandya talked about the hard yards he needed to put in to stage a comeback in red-ball cricket.

"I haven't done 10 per cent to reach there. I am not even a part of one per cent. So, me coming there and taking someone's place will ethically not go well," Pandya had told the media.

"If I want to play Test cricket, I'll go through the grind and earn my spot. Hence, for that reason I will not be available for the WTC final or future Test series until I don't feel that I have earned my spot."

Hardik has less than a month to prepare as Baroda's opening match in the Ranji Trophy is against defending champions Mumbai on October 11. New Zealand's tour of India starts on October 16 while the tour of Australia is scheduled to get underway on November 22.