All-rounder Hardik Pandya will skip the upcoming season of the Ranji Trophy . Pandya is looking to get back his fitness first. He wants to focus on his India comeback in white-ball cricket. Notably, Pandya ignored BCCI president Sourav Ganguly’s key comeback advice .
In interview to PTI last week, BCCI President Saurav Ganguly had said he expected to see the all-rounder play in the Ranji Trophy. “Hardik was injured and a break was given to him to completely recover, so that he can continue to serve Indian cricket for a long period of time. I believe I will see him play some Ranji Trophy to start with. I expect him to bowl a lot more overs and his body will get stronger,” Ganguly said.
However, on Monday, Baroda Cricket Association revealed their 20-member squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy season. Kedar Devdhar was named as the captain. Hardik’s name wasn’t part of the list. Hardik Pandya received a lot of flak for not bowling during India’s dismal T20 World Cup campaign, even he making himself unavailable for national selection due to back injury and further rehabilitation.
Pandya has not played red ball cricket since December 2018 and has often admitted that injuries have put a spanner on his prospects in the longest format of the game. However he will return to competitive cricket in the IPL, where he is set to make his maiden appearance as a full-time captain with the CVC-owned Ahmedabad franchise.