I have always worked hard in silence and will continue to do so, says Hardik Pandya

01/30/2022

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Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has stated that he had always worked hard in silence and will continue to do so in the upcoming days to improve his skills further. Pandya further added that he wanted to take some off for his family, as staying in a bio-bubble is very tough for the cricketers.

Hardik Pandya has been a hot topic of discussion since India's squad selection for the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2021. The all-rounder was selected to the squad to balance India's squad with his batting and bowling abilities, however, the 28-year-old failed to perform well in the marquee event.

Pandya was having persistent back issues, and underwent surgery before he made his comeback to the team in 2019. Since his return to competitive cricket, Pandya has been playing as a specialist batsman for Team India and his IPL franchise, Mumbai Indians. The back injury also kept him away from the Test team since 2018. Since the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2021, Pandya has been away from the national team, and is currently undergoing a rehabilitation process to regain his full fitness.

Ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction, Mumbai Indians released Pandya, and the right-hander was roped in by the Ahmedabad franchise for INR 15 crore. The Ahmedabad-based franchise have also named Pandya as their captain for the 15th edition of the cash-rich league.

Meanwhile, Pandya has stated that he had always worked in silence, and will continue to do so in the upcoming days to improve his skills further. The Indian all-rounder further added that he needed some time to spend with his family, as staying in bio-bubble is very tough for the cricketers.

"You spend a lot of time away from your family and that eventually takes a toll on you. I wanted time off to reflect on myself and understand which areas I need to work on and concentrate on improving those things. I am doing two sessions every day. I have always worked hard in silence and will continue to do so," Pandya told Economic Times.

"I have always pushed myself with my preparation keeping the team's interest in mind. But this time I wanted some time off to prepare myself physically and mentally. I also wanted to take some time off for my family. We have spent a lot of time in bio bubbles, though everyone has tried to make us feel comfortable, staying in a bio bubble is very tough," he added.

Pandya is expected to make a return to the national squad ahead of the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.