Hardik Pandya Makes Comeback: Named in India A Squad for One‑Day Series Against Australia A in Puducherry

After a spell on the sidelines, Hardik Pandya’s name surfaced again – this time on the official India A one‑day squad list for the upcoming series against Australia A in Puducherry. The BCCI confirmed the 15‑member roster on Wednesday, and while Pandya’s inclusion looks promising, it still hinges on his fitness clearance.

The one‑day side will be captained by the stylish Ruturaj Gaikwad, with Devdutt Padikkal taking up the vice‑captaincy duties. Alongside Pandya, the squad features a mix of emerging talent and seasoned domestic players: Priyansh Arya, Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Kumar Kushagra, Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, Arshin Kulkarni, Arshad Khan, Naman Dhir, Prabhsimran Singh, Gurjapneet Singh and Yash Thakur.

These three one‑day fixtures are slated for October 6, 9 and 11, all on the sun‑kissed pitches of Puducherry. The BCCI has also announced separate squads for the two four‑day games that will run from September 22‑25 and September 29‑October 2, with Padikkal leading the multi‑day side and Sudharsan as his deputy.

In the longer format, the board has called up Aman Mokhade, Ayush Pandey, Yash Rathod, Shaik Rasheed, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Tushar Deshpande, Anshul Kamboj, Praful Hinge, N Jagadeesan, Nachiket Bhute and the promising V Vyshak, who – like Pandya – will need a final medical nod before suiting up.

India A will treat this series as a valuable rehearsal, giving young guns a taste of international‑level pressure while allowing senior players to fine‑tune their games ahead of bigger assignments. For fans, it’s a chance to see Pandya’s powerful hitting and handy seam work back in action, provided the doctors give the all‑rounder the green light.

All eyes will be on Puducherry as the teams clash, and the cricketing community hopes the series will offer a seamless blend of raw talent, seasoned experience and, of course, a bit of that hard‑earned entertainment the sport is famous for.