Hardik Pandya, India's great all-rounder, reflected on pivotal events in his cricketing career, recalling how his last-over effort against Bangladesh in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2016 marked a turning point in his career.
Pandya defended 11 runs in the penultimate over, propelling him into the national spotlight. A decade later, he is a senior member of the Indian squad, contributing to the team's title defense.
“I think all these moments made me the kind of person I am. There were early challenges in my international career where I had to hold my ground and back myself. It was important to have belief. In cricket, even if there is just a 1% chance, the game is not over until the last ball of the match is bowled. That Bangladesh match was a classic example of that.
One ball before the wicket, the batter had started celebrating as if the game was over. He was celebrating right in front of me, and it was all happening before my eyes. When things turn around like that, they create wonderful memories. Every time I see it, I think about how, in the early days, that was one of the challenges in my life and one of the moments in my career that shaped Hardik Pandya. I have had many more moments like this, but my journey started with that one," Pandya was quoted as saying on JioStar.
Pandya also mentioned that he was a bowling geek and loved bowling more than batting. He admitted that he hadn’t used his full batting potential and, after IPL 2025, realized he wanted to be the complete Hardik Pandya.
He credited his girlfriend, Mahieka Sharma, for helping him realize his full potential and rediscovering his love for the game.
Pandya discussed his rigorous net sessions, which can run for six to seven hours per day, and his stay at the NCA in Bengaluru from 3:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., aiming to translate his potential into actual performance.
“I think the child in me, the cricket geek, who is always there, was focusing more on my skill set as a bowler. I have always had a lot of confidence in my bowling, but batting was very close to my heart. After the last IPL, I realized that I really wanted to play to Hardik’s full potential. I think until now, I haven’t utilized more than 40 percent of my batting potential, and that is genuinely honest feedback. What I know as a cricketer, what I imagine, what I manifest, and how I practice have not translated into performance by more than 40 percent.
I took some time in my life to figure out how to bring that out. That’s when Mahieka came into my life. We started talking about the sport and how to bring that child back. She helped me rediscover that excitement for the game that I always had. I went behind the scenes, worked really hard, and had a good amount of batting sessions. There were days when I was on the ground for six to seven hours. When I went to the NCA, I would go at 3:30 in the afternoon and finish at 12:30 at night. I was usually the last person to leave and shut the lights off," he added.
Hardik Pandya will be in action for India on February 18 when they face the Netherlands in Ahmedabad.
