India, Sept. 9 -- India all-rounder Hardik Pandya is all set to return to competitive action for the first time since the end of the IPL 2026 season, but his participation comes with a fitness caveat. Hardik has been picked for the India A white-ball team for the impending series against Australia A, to be held later this month in Pondicherry.

Pandya last appeared during the Mumbai Indians' disastrous IPL campaign in the 2026 edition. He has since been out with a quadriceps injury, which has prevented him from attaining full fitness. He had sustained an injury during a fitness test at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The injury forced him to miss the ODI series against Afghanistan and the subsequent limited-overs contests as w...