Hardik Pandya eyeing a return to the Indian Test side in Australia

While the Indian bowlers are being frustrated by the Aussie batsmen in the second Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth, there might be some good news on the horizon as Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya is eyeing a return to the national team as early as the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the MCG which gets underway on December 26.

He has set his intentions straight when he opted to play for Baroda against Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy instead of turning up for India A against New Zealand A in the recently-concluded three-match List A series which was won comfortably by India.

He seemed very excited to be back after missing close to three months of action. When the squads for the Test series against Australia and India A squad for New Zealand List A games were announced, it was said that Hardik will play the three List A games to prove his fitness before getting picked in the Indian squad again.

But, the all-rounder chose to Ranji Trophy because he wanted to test his fitness and if he manages to do well, there are chances that he might be added to the Indian squad for the next two games.

"I picked this Ranji Trophy game over India A because I want to play Tests. There is a chance that if I do well and the team requires me, I might be picked for the third and fourth Tests in Australia. I wanted to test my fitness in a four-day game, rather than a One-day, because this would exactly give me an idea of where I stand," he said.

He also added that there is no restriction on the number of overs he will be bowling in the game. Hardik was last seen on the cricket pitch in the 2018 Asia Cup when he was carried away on a stretcher after he injured his back while bowling in a game against Pakistan.