The all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been included in the India A squad for the one-dayers against Australia A. However, he will be subject to fitness clearance.

The all-rounder was seen in action during IPL 2026 and has spent most of the time undergoing rehab at the BCCI‘s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.

Hardik Pandya had missed part of the Mumbai Indians’ campaign with back spasms and suffered a leg strain while training at the CoE during the ODI series against Afghanistan.

Hardik hasn’t played ODIs since the Champions Trophy finals in 2025 and has been rested for the T20 World Cup in 2026.

He has been back in India’s limited-overs plans with an ODI World Cup in October-November 2027, but fitness issues kept him out of action.

India will be hoping for Hardik Pandya to clear his fitness tests ahead of the Australia A series and begin preparations to get back in rhythm. He is considered a key player in India’s World Cup plans.

He will be a suitable seam-bowling all-rounder in the South African conditions.

The Australia A series will be played in Puducherry. The tour begins with two four-day tests, from September 29 to October 2, while the three one-dayers will be played on October 06, 09 and 11.

Devdut Padikkal will be captaining the side with Sai Sudharsan named as his deputy. With four-day games clashing with the Irani Cup and the Asia Games, the squad is missing several promising stars.

Seam bowler Anshul Kamboj, off-spinner Tanush Kotian and wicketkeeper N Jagadeesan are the only other members of the 15-member squad.

Meanwhile, several stars like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh and Yash Thakur made their T20I debut during the tour of Zimbabwe in July.

Meanwhile, all-rounders Nitish Reddy and Washington Sundar have received fitness clearances from their respective injuries. As Reddy missed the white-ball tours of Ireland and England with a quadriceps injury, Washington missed the two-match test series against Sri Lanka with a hamstring injury.

Both were picked for the T20I series against Afghanistan, which begins on September 13, subject to fitness clearance.

The status of fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshit Rana, who were also picked pending fitness clearance, is not yet known.