Took part in local tournaments to prove my worth to the world – Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya has done well for India across formats. The all-rounder is renowned for his aggressive batting and wicket-taking ability. He has become an important part of Team India in a short span of time. However, he has been marred by injuries in the last one year and his back surgery has impacted his bowling.

He recently spoke about his journey from local tournaments to international matches for India.

“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.

He will represent India in the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE.