Hardik Pandya to join Baroda for Vijay Hazare Trophy knockouts
Hardik Pandya, the star all-rounder, won't be playing the first phase of the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) with his team Baroda. The tournament started on Saturday at various venues. However, Kiran More of the Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) of the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA), has confirmed that Pandya will be joining his team in the knockout phase of this 50-over tournament.
BCCI's stance on domestic competition participation
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and its national selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, have reiterated their position on cricketers' participation in domestic competitions. They said every cricketer is expected to participate in these events unless instructed or exempted otherwise. This policy comes after Pandya's recent performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), where he scored 246 runs and took six wickets in seven matches.
Pandya's cricket journey post-injury
Pandya, 31, hasn't played a non-T20 official match in almost 14 months. His last appearance came in the ODI World Cup on October 19, 2023, against Bangladesh in Pune. He had sustained an ankle injury during the match, which kept him away from competitive cricket for a long time. Since then, he has only played T20 matches (internationals and domestic) but none in other formats.
Pandya's participation in VHT depends on Baroda's performance
Pandya's participation in the VHT depends on Baroda making it to the knockouts. More debunked assumptions of Pandya only playing T20s, saying "He participated in all the SMAT matches, and he will play in the 50-over games too." He hoped Baroda, led by Krunal Pandya and currently playing in Hyderabad, will reach the knockout stages of VHT too.
Baroda score 302/7 in 50 overs versus Tripura
Krunal's Baroda team scored 302/7 in 50 overs against Tripura in their VHT opener. Shivalik Sharma's 90-ball 86 with key efforts from Vishnu Solanki (54) and Bhanu Pania (49*) helped them get past 300.
