Mumbai Indians has become my home, says Hardik Pandya
Ahead of the upcoming IPL season, Hardik Pandya reveals his fondness for the Mumbai Indians franchise, which he claims to be his ‘home’. Pandya also gave Ricky Ponting a fair share of credit for helping him develop as a player during the early stages of his career with the Mumbai-based team.
In the build-up to the 2019 season of the Indian Premier League, Baroda-based cricketer Hardik Pandya spoke about his association with Mumbai Indians. Pandya was scouted by the backroom staff of the team back in 2015 before he enjoyed a quick jump to the Indian national team in early 2016. In an exclusive chat with timesnownews.com, Pandya revealed that the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai is now his home while adding that former Australian captain Ricky Ponting deserved a lot of credit for his development as a cricketer.
“First of all, Mumbai Indians has become my first home as I live in Mumbai now. “Ricky is someone who has been fantastic. Even the way he backed me. Yes, my international career started with MS. But the actual career which I think that people started noticing me was because of Ricky. He backed me, he saw something in me. You need opportunities, someone who backs you. You need the support which Ricky gave. It made me play freely. I was a different cricketer altogether.
“I learnt so much. There were things I didn’t understand which he explained to me. More than anything else, such a legend talking to you so normally and treating you like his little brother and a son. I am still very close with him. He explained to me how things happened at the big circuit and how I needed to play in different situations. He never gave me pressure, he always wanted me to learn. I still remember, before going to bat, I always used to ask him to come and sit with me which he always did. It’s fantastic to see such role models coming and helping you, making you feel so comfortable around them. As a cricketer, you are just happy being around them,” Pandya said.
The youngster along with elder brother Krunal Pandya was retained for a massive sum of Rs. 11 crores in the auction back in 2018. The duo were retained this year as well and have now become an integral part of Mumbai Indians. Hardik will make a Test comeback after being ruled out for three months due to a back injury which he suffered during the Asia Cup match against Pakistan earlier this year.
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