New Delhi: Star Indias all-rounder Hardik Pandya is on the verge of history. He is just one step away from a major T20I milestone ahead of the five-match series against South Africa which is scheduled to start from December 9. The 32-year-old stands on the verge of achieving the rare double of 2000 runs and 100 wickets in T20 internationals. Pandya enters the five-match T20I series requiring 140 more runs to reach 2000 T20I runs. With the ball he is just two wickets away from becoming only the second Indian to take 100 T20I wickets. Currently he ranks third on the list of Indias highest wicket-taker in the format with 98 wickets at an average of 26.58. With the bat he has amassed 1860 runs in 120 matches at an average of 27.35 with a strike rate of 141.01 which includes five fifties. Hardik makes his comeback to the national team after a quadriceps injury He makes his comeback to the national team after a quadriceps injury which forced him out of the Asia Cup 2025 sidelining him for the title-winning final against Pakistan and the following white-ball tour of Australia. Pandya showcased his fitness in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as he scored a quick 77 off 42 balls to guide Baroda to a thrilling win over Punjab. His return is a major boost for India as they gear up for the ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026. The five-match series against South Africa starts in Cuttack on Tuesday with subsequent games scheduled in Mullanpur on December 11 Dharamsala on December 14 Lucknow on December 17 and Ahmedabad on December 19. India squad for T20I series against SA: Suryakumar Yadav (C) Shubman Gill (VC)* Abhishek Sharma Tilak Varma Hardik Pandya Shivam Dube Axar Patel Jitesh Sharma (WK) Sanju Samson (WK) Jasprit Bumrah Varun Chakaravarthy Arshdeep Singh Kuldeep Yadav Harshit Rana Washington Sundar