India's star southpaw Ishan Kishan recently spoke about his teammate and Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya's mental state during a challenging period in the past six months. Kishan's comments come after Hardik Pandya's impressive comeback at the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024. Pandya played a crucial role in leading India to victory, scoring 144 runs and taking 11 wickets throughout the tournament. This strong performance marked a turning point for Pandya, who faced criticism and boos from the crowd at Wankhede Stadium during the IPL 2024 season. He had returned from the Gujarat Titans to replace Rohit Sharma as captain of the Mumbai Indians. Ishan Kishan, who interestingly spent time training with Hardik before the IPL season, expressed his happiness at his teammate's successful return to form at the T20 World Cup.
Ishan Kishan breaks silence on Hardik Pandya's booing episode
"I got very emotional when he stepped out of the dressing room with the trophy and the entire Wankhede Stadium erupted. It was redemption for him," Kishan told The Indian Express.
Kishan also talked about Pandya's temperament during the tough times. He revealed that despite the boos and criticism Pandya faced from fans at the IPL, he remained composed. Kishan says Hardik "never lost his cool," which speaks about the all-rounder's mental strength.
"It is difficult to explain in words the past six months he has had, as there were all kinds of things said and written about him. But he never lost his cool. I was with him during most of that time – be it training with him in Vadodara or during the IPL – and I never heard him cribbing ki yaar, aisa kyun ho raha hai mere saath (Mate, why is it happening with me). He was calm about it, took it in a very sporting manner, and just focused on the game," said Kishan.
Detailing more about Hardik Pandya's experience during IPL 2024, Kishan shed light on the intensity of the negativity the star all-rounder faced. The 25-year-old opener described the "hooting and abuse" directed at Hardik, highlighting the challenging environment he had to endure. Despite this adversity, Kishan expressed his admiration for Pandya's ability to handle the negativity well, showcasing his mental resilience.
"He was at the receiving end wherever he went. At the toss, while boarding the team bus, at the airport. But he didn’t take it personally. Generally, people break down when treated so harshly, but Hardik didn’t. I consider him a great athlete because despite the entire stadium booing him, he went on with the job with a straight face," said Kishan.
"Bade players ki nishani yahi hoti hai, wo shakal pe nahi dikhate (Big players don’t show emotions when things are not going their way. They don’t want anyone to feel sorry for them). I am so proud of him for the way he dealt with all the negativity and turned it into claps," he added.
Kishan further shared an interesting detail about Hardik's mindset during the IPL. He revealed that Hardik remained confident even amidst the criticism, believing that his critics would eventually celebrate his success.
"I remember Hardik bhai saying once during the IPL, ‘jo haath mey nahi hai uske baare mey kya sochna, log bol rahe hai kyu bol rahe, wo sab control nahi kar sakte (Those things which are not in our hands, we can’t control. If I keep on thinking about what people are saying, I will lose it). The same bunch that has criticised me will celebrate me in the future and I just have to take it in a very sporting manner," Kishan concluded.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
Shubman Gill takes blame for India's humiliating loss against Zimbabwe in 1st T20I, says 'would've been best for us if...'
BCCI's pay gap turns heads as VVS Laxman earns just 4.16 per cent of Rahul Dravid's annual salary for Zimbabwe tour