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The journey of Hardik Pandya to overcome severe criticism and make a good comeback should be the main emphasis of any biography about him, according to former cricket player Mohammad Kaif. After leaving the Gujarat Titans and joining the Mumbai Indians (MI) for the previous season, when he took over as captain in place of five-time IPL winner Rohit Sharma, Hardik encountered a lot of criticism. Hardik was jeered after a misfield during MI vs GT game at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium. The Delhi Capitals (DC) coach, a former England captain, said he was shocked to see Hardik being jeered.
Mohammad Kaif on Hardik Pandya
In a video that he posted on social media, Kaif said that Hardik suffered from insults and mental strain—things that no sportsman should have to deal with. He did, however, commend Hardik for successfully making his comeback by resisting the pressure and battling back like a lion.
"He kept that pain to himself and went forward, and that has been Hardik Pandya's comeback story. It was a bad journey. Fans booed him, and people wrote him off. As a player mein apko bata sakta hu, beizatti...apman ke saath aage barna, use sehna, sabse gehra zakham hota hai (As a player, moving forward with insults hurts deeply). A player never forgets that,” Kaif said.
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Since then, Hardik has won consecutive ICC titles, turning his career around. He was instrumental in India's victory at the Men's T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies last year and played a key role in India's Champions Trophy success earlier this month.
"You can drop him, but being insulted wasn't a good sign. It turns out to be mental torture for the player. Mental torture—that is what happened to Hardik. Despite all, he played in the T20 World Cup, where he dismissed Heinrich Klaasen in the final. Then, in the Champions Trophy, he scored sixes against Zampa. He performed with the bat and ball, fighting fiercely like a lion. If there is ever a biopic on him, then the last seven months should be an example for players of how to fight against all odds, stay calm, trust your strengths and make a comeback," Kaif added.
Hardik's over-rate offence from the previous season will keep him out of the Mumbai Indians' season opener against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Suryakumar Yadav will lead the team in his place.
