Overview
- Baroda announced its 15-man Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy squad on Saturday, November 7, 2026, and did not include Hardik Pandya.
- Pandya remains in staged rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru after a sequence of problems that began with back spasms in the IPL and progressed to a leg strain and a fresh shin stress injury.
- India captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir have said Pandya is vital to white-ball balance but that medical clearance and domestic game time are prerequisites before he is rushed back to international duty.
- Selectors and team staff are weighing short-term alternatives for the pace-bowling all‑rounder role as Pandya’s prolonged absence reduces the window for match preparation ahead of December T20s and the 2027 ODI World Cup.
- Baroda named Krunal Pandya as captain for the SMAT, which begins on November 14 and runs to December 6, a timetable that removes one practical opportunity for Hardik to rebuild competitive rhythm before India’s December fixtures.