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Sep 9 – Ahead of India’s Asia Cup Super Four match against Pakistan, all-rounder and vice-captain Hardik Pandya shed insight on the unique challenges and attitude of an all-rounder, claiming that his workload in a match is twice or three times that of anyone else’s.
Following the conclusion of the 2019 ODI World Cup in England, Pandya needed severe back surgery, which hampered his all-round performance skills. However, a change in lifestyle and training regimen has returned him to his best and made him a trustworthy all-rounder for the side ahead of the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup in India.
“As an all-rounder, my workload is twice or thrice as anyone else. When a batter in the team goes and bats and finishes his batting and is heading home, I’ll still be bowling after that. So for me, all the managing, all the pushing, and everything happens during the sessions or my training or my pre-camp season,” said Pandya to Star Sports.
On game days, Pandya sees his role change based on the conditions and necessities of the moment and trusts himself to get the job done. “When the game comes around, it’s more about what the team needs, and the managing side kicks it out of the park, and it’s more practical calls that how many overs are required for me.” Because it makes no sense for me to bowl 10 overs if they aren’t required, but if they are, I’ll bowl.”
“I always believed that I give myself a chance to succeed, which is by reading the game, which is by backing myself because I have always believed that when we go as a believer when I’m standing there, yes, my ten players, my ten brothers are around me, but at the same point of time I’m alone.”
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He further elaborated, “When bowling, I have to back myself to the fullest because the opposition, the batter, they want me to make a mistake. At the same point in time, as a batter, yes, two people are batting, and he is there with me fighting, but there are also eleven on the ground against me, and at the same point in time, it could be the crowd or anything.”
“So what I have realized is that no matter what happens, you have to back yourself, you have to believe that you are the best in the world. That does not guarantee you success, but at the same point of time, it does give you and it does guide you to work towards success, so practically back yourself.”
