Hardik Pandya Spectacular Comeback: Mumbai Indians’ New Captain Shines in Pre-2024 IPL Matches

For the first time in almost four months, Hardik Pandya participated in a match at the DY Patil Cup in Navi Mumbai to return to competitive cricket. After sustaining an ankle injury during India’s 2023 World Cup match against Bangladesh in October of last year, Pandya has been working his way back to full health. He missed the remainder of the tournament due to the injury, and he was forced to miss the following series against Australia at home, South Africa away, and Afghanistan in India. Pandya will have to play in the T20 World Cup later this year without having played T20Is for India since the 2023 World Cup if he continues to be healthy. Nevertheless, as the recently named captain of the five-time champion Mumbai Indians, he is anticipated to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

How Pandya fared on return

Pandya participated in the DY Patil T20 Cup on Monday in Navi Mumbai for Reliance 1. In his three overs as the opening bowler, he amassed a 2 for 22 record. Then, batting at No. 10, he and Piyush Chawla ended a frantic chase. Pandya was unbeaten at three off four balls as Reliance 1 overcame Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited by two wickets. Rahul Tripathi, an India T20 international, was one of his wickets.

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Pandya has spent the last month exercising in Baroda, following a tailored return-to-fitness regimen designed by the National Cricket Academy (NCA). While Rishabh Pant is also recuperating from severe injuries he suffered in a vehicle accident in December 2022, the all-rounder participated in practice matches at NCA.

When Pandya decides to play competitive cricket again, there will be tremendous expectations. Throughout the majority of last year, he led India’s Twenty20 team, and he was a strong candidate to captain the team in the 2019 World Cup. As skipper Rohit Sharma has been picked, Pandya has been named as BCCI secretary Jay Shah’s deputy for the main tournament.