Hardik Pandya Eyes Competitive Return, Prithvi Shaw Hopes To Revive T20 Career | Cricket News

Hardik Pandya (left) and Prithvi Shaw (PTI Photo)

Hardik Pandya is set to make his highly anticipated return from injury as the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy (SMAT) kicks off across four venues on Wednesday. The domestic talent will be aiming to deliver standout performances ahead of the IPL auction.

Pandya has been sidelined since sustaining a quadricep injury during the Asia Cup in September. With the T20 World Cup scheduled at home in February-March, he will focus solely on the shortest format. The SMAT will serve as a crucial platform for him to demonstrate his fitness before the T20 series against South Africa, which begins on December 9.

The tournament will take place in Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Lucknow, with defending champions Mumbai, led by Shardul Thakur, vying to retain their title.

Baroda, with seven group games lined up until December 8, is eager to see their star all-rounder Pandya in action for the majority of the matches. Head coach Mukund Parmar expressed his anticipation for Pandya’s participation, highlighting the significant boost his presence brings to the squad.

Mumbai’s captain Suryakumar Yadav, who has been struggling with form over the past year, is also expected to participate in most of the group games. He aims to regain his scoring touch ahead of the five-match series against South Africa. Additionally, Shivam Dube is likely to feature for Mumbai during the group stage.

Tamil Nadu’s squad will be led by mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, who is expected to be available throughout the group stage. Similarly, Kerala captain Sanju Samson is set to participate.

Shaw Takes Aim At Reviving Career

Prithvi Shaw, once seen as the future of Indian cricket, failed to secure an IPL team in last year’s auction. Having moved to Maharashtra from Mumbai in domestic cricket, Shaw will lead the side in Ruturaj Gaikwad’s absence. A successful run in SMAT could revive his IPL career.

Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal, a former IPL regular, aims to amass significant runs to prove his worth in the shortest format. Nitish Rana returns to Delhi as captain after a stint with Uttar Pradesh, seeking to bounce back following a disappointing first half of the Ranji Trophy.

Assam captain Riyan Parag and MP’s Venkatesh Iyer, who was released by KKR due to his hefty price tag of Rs 23.75 crore, will also be looking to capitalise on the opportunity presented by the tournament.