Now Reading: Hardik Pandya out of Baroda’s SMAT squad, Krunal to lead
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Hardik Pandya out of Baroda’s SMAT squad, Krunal to lead
The Story in Brief
Hardik Pandya has been left out of Baroda's 15-member squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), the domestic T20 tournament beginning on 14 November. Krunal Pandya will captain the side, which also includes Jitesh Sharma, Deepak Hooda and Rasikh Salam, as confirmed by multiple sources on Saturday, 7 November.
Hardik has been sidelined since suffering back spasms during IPL 2026 and has spent much of his time at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. His last match was on 24 May in the IPL. He was named in India A's squad for a series against Australia A in October but was withdrawn due to a shin injury. Times Now reported that Hardik could return for Baroda in the Vijay Hazare Trophy or directly in IPL 2027.
India captain Shubman Gill has said Hardik will need to play domestic cricket before returning to the national side. The SMAT final is on 6 December.
Update, 7 November 2026: Rediff.com also reports Hardik Pandya's absence from Baroda's SMAT squad, confirming the earlier details. The outlet frames the continued absence as a concern for India's ODI World Cup 2027 preparations, adding that Hardik last played on 24 May and has been recovering from back spasms and a leg strain.
Indian Opinion Analysis
All five outlets report the same core facts: Hardik Pandya is out of Baroda's SMAT squad, Krunal Pandya is captain, and Hardik has been injured since IPL 2026. Espncricinfo, Telangana Today and NDTV present a neutral factual account of his injury timeline and rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. Times Now adds a speculative next step, a potential return in the Vijay Hazare Trophy or IPL 2027, while Rediff frames the absence as a concern for India's ODI World Cup preparations. The coverage is uniform on the facts but diverges slightly in forward-looking emphasis. The balanced reading is that Hardik's return date remains unannounced, with his fitness and domestic game time as the key factors.
Coverage: 5 sources, 5 neutral
Sources (5): espncricinfo.com (neutral report), telanganatoday.com (neutral report), ndtv.com (neutral report), timesnownews.com (neutral report), rediff.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 5 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
Update, 7 November 2026: further reports on this story from khelnow.com, news9live.com.
