Hardik Pandya has been the top all-rounder for the Indian Cricket Team in recent times. The fact of the matter is that it is the loss of the Indian Team if Hardik Pandya is not fit. Pandya has beaten all his injuries to make an astounding comeback to the international circuit. It will great to see Hardik back in the red-ball format. Hardik is very keen on doing the same but his white-ball performances are the ones that take the cake. So, who is Hardik Pandya, and what is the story of this champion player?
Hardik Pandya played for Baroda Domestic teams:
Hardik and Krunal Pandya’s parents shifted their residence from Surat to Baroda so that Krunal and Hardik get the proper facilities for practicing. Both the brothers belong to Kiran More’s academy in Baroda. Krunal was enrolled earlier. But once More saw Hardik playing with the balls kept outside the ground and asked his father to get him enrolled too.
From there on, the brothers fought a remote financial crisis. There was never a time when they didn’t have food on their table but they were striving to make ends meet. Hardik and Krunal even played night games to pay the bills. Cricket is an expensive game. From diets to gyms, to kits, everything is very costly.
Hardik and Krunal both got their SMAT call-ups for the Baroda team in 2013. They were drafted to the first 18. It was in 2013 that Hardik was also scouted by Mumbai Indians’ scout John Wright.
Hardik Pandya was a net bowler for the Mumbai Indians in 2013:
Harbhajan Singh recalled in an interview with Star Sports that Hardik joined the Mumbai Indians in 2013 as a net bowler. He was a bowler bowling at 135 clicks and who did some batting. Hardik’s rise to fame came in one net session where he was noticed by Sachin Tendulkar. It was in 2015, that Sachin saw Hardik in the nets. When he was timing the ball, it was hit so hard that no fielder even dared to get a hand in between.
From that season onwards Hardik was drafted to the main squad. He was an integral part of the Mumbai Indians from then on. He won 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020 IPL seasons with the men in blue in the IPL. At Mumbai, he made great mates like Kieron Pollard, from whom he learned a lot!
Conceding 23 runs in the First Over of his Career:
Hardik ended up conceding 23 runs in the very first over of his career. It was in the 2016 series in Australia. It was the historic series where Australia got whitewashed 3-0. He was backed by MS Dhoni and Pandya ended up taking 3 wickets in the game.
2018 Injury and Comeback of Hardik Pandya:
The 2018 Injury in the Asia Cup left him and his career in jeopardy. Hardik had an issue with his lower back. The BCCI gets a lot of credit for Hardik Pandya’s rehabilitation and for the amount of money that the organization has spent on this gem. He was taken to England where he got his back operated on. He had to learn to walk all over again. He was a part of the Indian team in the 2019 World Cup, and 2021 T20 World Cup, and is currently one of the best all-rounders all-over the globe.
2022 Gujarat Titans IPL Season:
Hardik Pandya’s career has reached new heights in 2022, he led the Gujarat Titans to win the IPL 2022 Season. Gujarat is his home franchise. Further his performance with the bat was splendid. With the ball, he delivered in the final. His spell in the final was match-changing. It flipped the game in favor of Gujarat.
Notable Performances of Hardik Pandya:
- 2016 ICC T20 World Cup last over VS Bangladesh.
- 2017 ICC Champions Trophy Final Innings VS Pakistan.
- 2019 IPL Innings for Mumbai Against Chennai Super Kings.
- 91 of 34 balls VS Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2019.
- 2017 Test Hundred VS Sri Lanka.
- 2018 91 VS South Africa (India Tour of South Africa 2018)
- 2022 IPL Season with the bat.
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To know more go to the official page of the BCCI.