‘I don’t sugarcoat things in my life’: Hardik Pandya’s blunt take after match-winning return | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: India’s premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya says maintaining a positive mindset has enabled him to return to the field “stronger, bigger and better” after injury setbacks that triggered moments of self-doubt. His comeback from a near two-month break due to a left quadriceps injury played a crucial role in India’s commanding 101-run victory over South Africa in the opening T20I on Tuesday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The 32-year-old marked his return in style, smashing an unbeaten 28-ball 59 and taking 1/16, showcasing full recovery from the injury he picked up during the Asia Cup.
“My mindset was really about coming back stronger, bigger, better. Injuries test you mentally and at the same point in time, it kind of puts a lot of doubts… and a lot of credit to the loved ones,” Pandya said in a video posted on bcci.tv.“I’ve stood strong, I’ve done a lot of things with grace and that has helped me to become even more confident, back myself and really trust my skillset… I really believe in myself as a player. I’ve always believed that if you don’t believe in yourself, how would others believe you,” added Pandya, who is set to play a key role in India’s T20 World Cup campaign in two months.He described himself as someone who relies on inner confidence and remains unaffected by outside opinions.“I think I have been a very honest, very real person in life as well, which has helped me a lot. I don’t really sugarcoat a lot of things in my life. It’s never about the other person, it’s never about how others think or how others perceive. It’s always about how I feel inside.“Now, it’s time where Hardik Pandya wants to just play the sport, enjoy every second on the ground… and bigger and better will be the motto in my life.”Pandya also said he draws energy from the crowd, which fuels his desire to perform.“You should be a rockstar. You come, perform for 10 minutes and the crowd goes berserk, I think that has been the biggest motivation for me.”He famously won over a once-hostile Mumbai crowd—upset when he took over as Mumbai Indians captain in 2024 after moving from Gujarat Titans—following his heroic T20 World Cup performance in the Caribbean.“Life has thrown a lot of lemons at me, I’ve always thought I’ll make a lemonade,” he said. “Every time I walk in, I feel like all the crowd is just waiting… they’ve come for this moment to watch me bat.”
