Hardik Pandya was back in the Indian T20 squad and continued his rich vein of form with another sensational performance against England in the first T20I of the series. He scored a half-century off 33 deliveries to help the Men in Blue post a commanding total of 198/8. Pandya then rolled up his sleeves and bowled a fiery spell that saw him taking four wickets and India won the match by 50 runs.
Of course, Pandya has been in the headlines recently after steering new IPL entrants Gujarat Titans to the trophy in their maiden campaign. His dramatic comeback into the Indian side follows up a topsy-turvy period in the swashbuckling all-rounder’s career and life.
It’s no secret that Pandya has been battling an injury-ravaged body for a while now. He has had to push himself on several occasions in order to bowl frequently. That had an effect on his general game and for a long while, especially after the disastrous T20 World Cup in UAE last year, he was dropped from the side with critics pointing out that he was no longer the same player.
However, the all-rounder has proven his detractors wrong following a breath-taking IPL campaign where he not only impressed with the bat and the ball, but also with his leadership skills and maturity. That maturity and composure was also on show during the post-match press conference after the first T20I against England when Pandya shared details about his mindset and the various highs and lows he has been through.
Speaking about the importance of hard work and work ethic, he said, “Hardwork always pays. I always believe that if you do hard work with good intention, it pays. My point is how to prepare myself best. One day the result will go by my side, other day it won’t,” Hardik said at the post-match press conference.
“My mindset doesn’t take me too high, neither low. I have learnt to live neutral in life. Today was a good day, tomorrow can be bad but life moves on, so keep laughing and do your hard work.”
The 28-year-old also mentioned that he is very clear about what he wants in life. Besides, whenever he gets off track, he has a strong support system in his family who bring him in line.
