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Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Ahead of the T20I series opener against South Africa, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav welcomed Hardik Pandya’s return to the set-up, saying the seam-bowling all-rounder’s experience lends crucial and significant balance to the side in their preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup.

Pandya, who has played 120 games in the shortest format for India, is back in the T20I team after recovering from a quadriceps injury sustained during the Asia Cup in the UAE in September. He has already shown good form in the games he turned out for Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and was among the first to hit the nets in India’s practice session at the Barabati Stadium on Sunday.

Apart from him, India are also welcoming back vice-captain Shubman Gill, who has recovered from a neck injury sustained during the Test match against South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata last month.