Hardik Pandya’s return to competitive cricket is finally on the cards as the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) begins across four venues this week. After a long layoff with a quadriceps injury sustained during the Asia Cup in September, Pandya’s presence in Baroda colours will be closely watched — especially with the IPL auction looming and India’s home T20 World Cup around the corner. For a player whose value depends on power, pace and all-round impact, SMAT is the perfect stage to prove he’s fully fit and ready.
Baroda have seven group games scheduled until December 8, and the team management is hopeful Pandya will feature in most of them. Head coach Mukund Parmar has been vocal about the morale boost his return provides; beyond raw skill, Pandya brings leadership, experience and finishing ability, which are priceless in high-pressure T20 cricket.
The tournament is spread across Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Lucknow — offering varied conditions that will test Pandya’s match-readiness. For franchise scouts and IPL franchises, the SMAT has become a key evaluation platform.
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A string of strong performances here can significantly improve Pandya’s auction stock, especially for teams prioritising all-rounders who can bowl three to four overs and accelerate the chase. Other big names in the competition add context to Pandya’s comeback storyline.
As per reports, Hardik Pandya is expected to be available for most of the group-stage matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Baroda. [PTI]#HardikPandya #Baroda #SyedMushtaqAliTrophy #Cricket pic.twitter.com/EyzvLy0og6
— OneCricket (@OneCricketApp) November 25, 2025
Mumbai (defending champions) under Shardul Thakur and Suryakumar Yadav — who is chasing form — will also be under the scanner. Young talent like Prithvi Shaw and veterans such as Mayank Agarwal and Nitish Rana are using this window to make their IPL cases. Meanwhile, players like Venkatesh Iyer and Riyan Parag will be aiming to remind franchises of their T20 credentials.
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For Hardik, the immediate goals are simple: regain full match fitness, complete his overs economically, and deliver match-winning cameos with the bat. If he ticks those boxes, he’ll not only help Baroda’s SMAT charge but also send a clear signal ahead of the IPL auction and the T20 series against South Africa starting December 9.
In short, SMAT is more than a domestic trophy for Pandya — it’s a comeback audition. The cricketing world will be watching closely to see if the all-rounder can reclaim the momentum that made him one of India’s most valuable T20 assets.
