Suryansh Shedge Steps in for Injured Hardik Pandya in India A Squad

Suryansh Shedge has been called up to the India A squad to replace the injured Hardik Pandya for the upcoming series against Australia A. Hardik's ongoing injury issues have kept him out of competitive cricket since May. The series will feature Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain, with additional squad changes including Anukul Roy stepping in for Naman Dhir. The first match is set for October 6, with further details on the complete squads and match schedule provided.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 5, 2026, 13:47 IST

Suryansh Shedge Joins India A Team

All-rounder Suryansh Shedge has been called up to replace the injured Hardik Pandya in the India A squad for the upcoming three-match one-day series against Australia A, set to take place in Puducherry. Hardik, who was initially included in the squad pending fitness clearance, has been ruled out due to a new injury issue, as reported by Cricinfo.

Hardik Pandya's Ongoing Injury Concerns

Sources indicate that Hardik has been experiencing pain while bowling, which has prolonged his absence from competitive play. He has not participated in any matches since sustaining an injury during the IPL 2026 in May. Additionally, Hardik has not played in a one-day international since the Champions Trophy final in March 2025.

Shedge's Background and Performance

At just 23 years old, Shedge adds a valuable medium-pace bowling option to the India A lineup. He has represented India in three T20 internationals and has played 15 List A matches, with nearly half of those for India A. Notably, he achieved his highest List A score of 72 off 66 balls while batting at No. 7 for India A against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla last June, in a match that went to a Super Over.

Additional Changes in the India A Squad

The India A squad has seen another adjustment, with left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Anukul Roy taking the place of Naman Dhir. Dhir has been moved to India's T20I squad for the upcoming five-match series against the West Indies, filling in for Washington Sundar. Washington, who was part of the gold-medal-winning men's cricket team at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, may instead play for Tamil Nadu in their Ranji Trophy opener against Rajasthan, pending selection.

Ruturaj Gaikwad to Captain India A

Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is currently part of India's ODI squad for the series against the West Indies, will lead India A in the three-match series against Australia A, with Devdutt Padikkal as his vice-captain. Padikkal previously captained India A during the recent red-ball series against Australia A.

Changes in the Australia A Squad

Australia A has also made two modifications to their one-day squad, bringing in Riley Meredith and Will Sutherland for the series. They replace Jack Edwards and Aaron Hardie, with Edwards having joined the senior team in South Africa for his ODI debut, while Hardie is sidelined due to a minor knee injury.

Match Schedule

The first one-day match between India A and Australia A is scheduled for October 6, starting at 2 PM local time as a day-night fixture. The subsequent matches will take place on October 9 and October 11, both commencing at 9 AM.

Complete Squads

India A Squad

Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Devdutt Padikkal (vice-capt), Priyansh Arya, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Rajat Patidar, Prabhsimran Singh, B Sai Sudharsan, Anukul Roy, Arshin Kulkarni, Nishant Sindhu, Suryansh Shedge, Arshad Khan, Gurjapneet Singh, Vipraj Nigam, Yash Thakur.

Australia A Squad

Mahli Beardman, Nikhil Chaudhary, Ben Dwarshuis, Spencer Johnson, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Riley Meredith, Todd Murphy, Mitch Owen, Josh Philippe (wk), Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Lachlan Shaw, Will Sutherland.