Hardik Pandya set for Ranji Trophy return with one eye on Australia tour: Reports

All-rounder Hardik Pandya is believed to have made himself available for the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2024, in a bid to be available for the five-match Test tour of Australia, according to Sports Tak. Pandya played last of his 11 Tests against England in Southapton in 2018. He last featured in the Ranji Trophy in December 2018, when Baroda took on Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium.

Pandya is a regular member of white-ball cricket, having played a key role with both bat and ball in the T20 World Cup 2024, as India lifted the trophy for the first time since 2007. However, with regular back issues focring him out of competition, he has not been able to cement his place in the Test side, which he now looks to change.

There have been videos surfacing on social media of the 30-year-old practising with a red ball, which has further added to the speculation of his potential return to the longest format. India have relied on Shardul Thakur for his ability to contribute with both bat and ball of late. India are currently in the middle of the Test series agianst Bangladesh at home, and will play three T20 Internationals (T20I) after that, and Pandya is expected to be part of that side.

Since his debut in 2013, Pandya has played just 29 first-class matches, 11 of them in Tests. At the first-class level, he has scored 1,351 runs at 30.02, and with the ball in hand, he has scalped 48 wickets at 30.95. The upcoming edition of the Ranji Trophy will kickstart on October 11. 

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