Indian cricket team vice captain Hardik Pandya opened up on a decline in his performance ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024.
Pandya had a forgettable IPL 2024 as the captain of Mumbai Indians which finished the tournament on last-place.
The allrounder had a dismal run both with the bat and ball as he scored 216 runs in 13 innings at an average of 18.00 and took 11 wickets in 12 innings at an economy rate of 10.75.
Throughout the IPL 2024, Hardik Pandya was booed by the fans of both MI and his previous team Gujarat Titans consistently.
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However, he showed optimism that he would overcome the issues with his game.
“Eventually, I believe, you have to stay in the battle. Sometimes life puts you in situations where things are tough, but I believe that if you leave the game or the field, the battle that is, you won’t get what you want from your sport, or the results you are looking for,” he told an Indian media outlet during an interview.
While Pandya acknowledged that he was going through a difficult phase, he said that he tried to follow the same routines he used to follow earlier.
“At the same time these things happen; there are good times and bad times, these are phases that come and go. That is fine. I have gone through these phases many times and I will come out of it as well,” he added.
Gearing up for Indian cricket team’s first match at the T20 World Cup 2024, Hardik Pandya will act as the deputy to the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma.
“I don’t take my successes too seriously. Whatever I have done well, I have forgotten about them immediately and moved forward. Same with difficult times. I don’t run away from it. I face everything with [my] chin up,” he said.
According to Pandya, he goes back to a point in time when he was fighting for opportunities to compare his current difficulties.
“I am in that zone right now [where] I am going and asking the 16-year-old [self] – because he is my actual motivator, because if that guy hadn’t set the platform I probably wouldn’t have been here,” he said.
For him, the Hardik Pandya at 30 years of age was an easier job compared to what he was at the age of 16.
“At that point of time, I didn’t have facilities or opportunities. Hard work gave me opportunities and opened doors for me,” he added.
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