He will bolster the overall quality of Baroda’s squad, which already comprises some quality names.
A retained Mumbai Indians (MI) star will play under a released Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) player in the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). His inclusion will surely boost the firepower and experience of their domestic side in the T20 tournament.
Hardik Pandya, the captain of Mumbai Indians and a key member of India’s white-ball side, will play under his brother Krunal Pandya for Baroda in the SMAT, starting November 23. Hardik hasn’t featured in this domestic competition since 2016, debuting for India across white-ball formats in the same year.
Despite middling returns in the recently concluded four-match T20I series against South Africa, Hardik has shown improved range-hitting against pacers lately, as visible during the home T20I series against Bangladesh. There was a time when speedsters agitated him with hard lengths, but Pandya made a timely return to his best with the willow.
He will bolster the overall quality of Baroda’s squad, which already comprises some quality names, including the captain Krunal Pandya. Hardik will contribute with both bat and ball and will look to remain in the groove ahead of the crucial white-ball series lined up for the Men in Blue early next year.
Krunal Pandya has been impressive as a player and leader in this domestic season. He led his team to four wins in five matches in the Ranji Trophy while drawing one game against Tripura as Baroda topped the Elite Group by the end of the opening phase.
Personally, he has 367 runs at an average of 52.42 in seven outings, including three fifties and a century, with the willow. He also took three wickets with the ball, starting a fresh domestic season on a high note.
Under his captaincy, Baroda performed exceptionally well and ended second in their group in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last season. They reached the final, falling short by 20 runs against Punjab in the summit clash.
With Hardik’s inclusion, the side will be improved this time, and Baroda will hope to get a step ahead and win the title. Meanwhile, Krunal will look to continue contributing to all departments in the tournament and lead from the front.
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