Returning to Australia after two years with a bang, ending the ODI series as India's highest run-maker with two fantastic knocks in Sydney and Canberra, all-rounder Hardik Pandya recalled the controversial incident that rocked his cricketing career back in January 2019.
Recovering from a back injury at the time and hoping to be fit for the one-dayers that India were due to play across the Tasman sea, Hardik had to return home after being suspended for inappropriate remarks on women during an episode of popular TV show 'Koffee with Karan' while sitting alongside teammate KL Rahul, who too faced the wrath of the uproar over the comments.
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Hardik was let-off soon with an apology and fine following an enquiry into the matters by BCCI, but the incident and the disappointing phase of an otherwise successful journey has brought about a greater sense of maturity into the man.
"I really didn't know what 'misogynistic' meant," Hardik said during an interview with TOI. "At first, I laughed thinking it was some word being used to make fun of me. Then a friend said, it means 'someone who strongly dislikes women'."
"How can I dislike women? Mom, didi (sister), bhabhi (sister-in-law), Natasa - they're all women. I adore them. My home is all about women. We are, because they are."
"For the first time, I wasn't in control of my own life. Everything around me started to crumble. I had to lock myself up. If not for my family, I'd have lost a great deal of everything. They were and continue to remain the backbone - the women in my family," added the 27-year-old, reiterating the devastating effect which the public outrage had on him.
The ups and downs of career and life have gained Hardik a more philosophical outlook towards things, which may be a surprise for someone his age, but has come about rather seamlessly by his own admission.
"I was lost. I usually have a very active mind. I don't stop thinking. After what happened (in January 2019), I wasn't able to focus on anything. That's when I sat down and told myself, I can't allow this to keep going on. I knew I had to re-start," he recalled.
"I started practice again. I didn't know when I was going to play again. I was just batting in the nets. I realised cricket alone was going to get me out of the rut. Run nahi banaunga toh waise bhi team mein nahi aaunga (if I don't score runs, I anyways won't return to the team)."
"I won't do a lot of things the way I did back then. I'm going to keep looking at ways to improve," added the constantly improved person and cricketer.
