Mumbai: Let’s start with Instagram because Hardik Pandya’s social media handle is a mirror to his everyday life. Whether it is him gyming, training, being out for a swim, playing with his son or chanting a bhajan, when Hardik is not on the field, he’s sharing his real life with the virtual world.
His fans love him for that. At last count, Hardik’s Instagram following of 45 million was nearly as strong as Rohit Sharma’s and only behind Virat Kohli among current cricketers. His package of tattoos, blonde hair, tank tops and self belief is tantalising to say the least.
Not everyone in Indian cricket appreciates his in-your-face persona though. Just the way it holds true in any corporate ladder, the flashy one is perceived not to be the responsible one. Hardik’s stint as India T20I captain proved to be short-lived. It may have hurt him, but Hardik has tried to stay true to himself. It’s a lesson he has learnt the hard way in his roller-coaster journey.
A lot of the Baroda all-rounder’s on-field success comes from his uninhibited approach to life. That’s also the way he plays his cricket. Hardik was so fond of hitting sixes in his younger days that they often ran out of balls at the Kiran More academy. Sticking to this template, Hardik grew to become India’s No 1 power hitter.
Returning to social media, Hardik is among the few public figures who uses his widely followed handle to revisit his early struggles. Last month, celebrating completion of a decade in international cricket, Hardik posted an old interview of him in dishevelled hair, reminiscing about his aspiration to play for India. “Ek Sapnu hatu (It was a dream), but I never thought it was going to happen,” he would say.
Now living his dream, Hardik does not want to let go of his past. Back then, he wanted to break free. Now, it fuels his desire to continue to excel. His past hardships keep him grounded. Hardik has often spoken in interviews how sport has given him an outlet of expression. When he was scouted by Mumbai Indians and picked in the 2015 IPL auction as a base price buy for ₹ 10 lakhs, he had never seen that much money. Cricket to him became a way to change his and his family’s life.
At 32, Hardik has been through so many twists and turns, from being disciplined for a faux pax at a talk show to being booed by his home IPL fans, that pressures of sport such as tense run chases and defending low totals do not faze him. His redemptive spirit was for all to see in the manner in which he was able to execute what he was tasked to bowl in the final over against South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup final.
Hardik has polished his bowling skills on the job. That he can bowl across phases of a T20 game is down to his ability to upskill, a trait that often gets lost to his off-field gloss.
Batting came the most naturally to him. It’s when his batting sharpness saw a fall a few years back, that there were genuine fears, he may have been past his best. When Hardik was being given a hard time by Mumbai Indians fans’ his once batting partner and now coach Kieron Pollard predicted, “the world would sing Hardik’s praises when time comes”. Soon enough with Pollard watching from the opposition dug out for England, Hardik giving him a hard time in the 2024 World Cup semi-final. Hardik bowling the final over and completing a title triumph for India at Barbados was just the karmic cycle playing out.
Every few years, Hardik’s career has thrown up some curveballs. For a good couple of years in 2017-18, the all-rounder was caught up being the next Kapil Dev. When he delivered a 5-for in a Test match in England, India, starved of a pace all-rounder, became fully invested. Hardik’s body could not take the workload and after a few injury setbacks, he was firm he would be a white-ball cricketer, henceforth. So much so that when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play the World Test Championship final came up in 2021, he nipped the conversations in the bud. The only white-ball specialist to hold a Grade A national contract, and even the selectors have recognized that India does not have a dual-skilled cricketer of Hardik’s calibre.
If the last T20 World Cup was all about redemption for Hardik, the upcoming tourney could be his stage to stamp his authority as the format’s premier all-rounder.
“Whenever Hardik Pandya is in the team, his role is huge. He bats and bowls very consistently. His batting is crucial when the team is stuck. He bowls in key phases. His role is very important because he gives the team balance, letting us play six bowlers and keep our batting deep,” Rohit Sharma told JioStar.
Fans may have wanted Rohit over Hardik as captain. But Rohit or any other captain would want Hardik as the first man on a T20 team sheet.