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‘Played every local tournament to show my worth’: Hardik Pandya's journey from Gujarat to international star
Hardik Pandya is part of India's 15-member squad for the ongoing T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman.
Ever since bursting into the international circuit, Hardik Pandya has been a regular face in India's limited-over squad. The all-rounder, who has bowled very little after his successful back surgery, has also been a vital cog in the Mumbai Indians setup.
The all-rounder has represented India in all three formats in over 100 matches, and has featured in 92 IPL matches so far.
Speaking on his journey from taking part in local tournaments in Gujarat to becoming an international star, Pandya credited his success to his father, whom he lost earlier this year.
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The 28-year-old spoke at length about his father's efforts, which saw him evolve into what he is today.
“My father had tremendous faith in my abilities. That’s why he never stopped me from playing cricket. He did something no father would do. He shut everything in Surat and moved to Vadodara. We shifted there kyunki wahan pe young cricketers had better opportunities.”
“Dad ne mere liye ek bada step liya tha and I had to repay his faith. I played in every local tournament to show my worth to the world. In such tournaments, those who remained not out till the end were given some prize money. I made sure to win it every time. These small wins contributed towards my big dream of playing for India. The day I got my India debut, I felt I had repaid my father’s sacrifices a tiny bit,” said the all-rounder in a video shared on Dream XI Instagram page.
Pandya is part of India's 15-member squad for the ongoing T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman. Despite not chipping with the ball in recent outings, Pandya could land a spot in India's playing XI against Pakistan on October 24, courtesy to his batting abilities.
