CRICBUZZ IN CONVERSATION
From being the flamboyant all-rounder that he is today, Hardik Pandya’s international debut was almost a non-starter. Making his Twenty20 debut in Adelaide, Pandya went for plenty in his first couple of overs, leaving him fearing about his career.
“I conceded 26 runs from my first 8 balls and frankly thought my career was over”, he said, speaking to Harsha Bhogle on Fame Dubai in Conversation. “When I was hit for a huge six, almost 105-110m, I thought I was done. I felt it couldn’t get worse than this and thankfully I managed to snare a couple of wickets,” he added.
Hardik made his international debut under the leadership of MS Dhoni and has played most of his cricket under the Kohli-Shastri combo. Naturally, as the talk veered on the style of play, the younger Pandya was more forthcoming.
“I think he (MS Dhoni) wanted me to learn from my own experiences”, Pandya reckoned, reflecting on Dhoni – the captain. “Virat and Ravi bhai (Shastri), they have given me that freedom, not just to me, but for everyone in the team. That’s the beauty of this current Indian team, we have all made mistakes, but we are also learning at a very rapid pace. Those two have backed me a lot.”
Hardik has also had the opportunity to play under the wings of Rahul Dravid on ‘A’ tours and the Indian all-rounder was grateful at having had a chance to mingle with the legendary cricketer.
“Rahul Dravid has always accepted me the way I am. He never made me feel that he’s judging me, he has always enjoyed watching my work ethics and has told me about the same as well,” Pandya beamed.
Hardik’s high-flying career though hit a speed-breaker and it came in the form of an off-cricket discussion in a television show, which also featured his India team-mate, KL Rahul. Both players received a period of suspension and a warning from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Pandya though feels that the unsavoury episode could be the start of a career under a fresh perspective. “I have made mistakes in my life and the best part in me is I accept them. If I hadn’t accepted my mistake, one more television show would have been on the cards”, he chirped.
For more such stories from Hardik Pandya, tune in to Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of the latest Fame Dubai in Conversation episode
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