T20 World Cup 2024 – India – Hardik Pandya turns to 16-year-old self to get out of ‘difficult phase’ in career

“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.”

Now he is at the T20 World Cup. As India’s vice-captain, deputy to Rohit. And as India’s premier fast-bowling allrounder.

“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,” he said. “I don’t run away from it. I face everything with [my] chin up.

“As they say, this too shall pass. So coming out [of these phases] is simple: just play the sport, accept that [you need to] maybe get better at your skillset, keep working hard – hard work never goes to waste – and keep smiling.”

Along with the hard work, Hardik stressed on the importance of going back to a point in time when things weren’t as good for him as they are now, when he had to fight for opportunities, a period that perhaps shaped him.

“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”

Hardik Pandya

“I think it comes down to self-belief,” he said. “I believe a lot in hard work. You can succeed only if you put in the effort for it. I want to give myself the opportunity to… why do I prepare and commit myself every time? The only reason is that while I am not guaranteed success, I am guaranteed an opportunity to be successful. I focus simply on how do I keep getting better. Speak to myself. Try to know my real version.

“Hardik Pandya right now at 30 is a much, much easier job compared to what Hardik Pandya was when I was 16. So I go back to the 16-year-old and I ask him how did you do it, why did you do it?

“At that point of time, I didn’t have facilities or opportunities. Hard work gave me opportunities and opened doors for me. So I am in that zone right now [where] I am going and asking the 16-year-old – because he is my actual motivator, because if that guy hadn’t set the platform I probably wouldn’t have been here.”

India are playing Bangladesh in their only warm-up game ahead of the T20 World Cup today in New York, and Hardik has started his time in the USA well, with a 23-ball 40 not out. India’s first match at the main tournament is on June 5, against Ireland, also in New York.