India’s Hardik Pandya celebrates with the trophy after India won the T20 World Cup (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: “This was about redemption, my fifth comeback…”All-rounder Hardik Pandya is known for living in a king size that often dominates the limelight. However, this iconic statement after India’s triumph in the 2026 FIFA World Cup T20 truly defines the core of his character. A man who faced numerous challenges and overcame them through sheer force of will, celebrating one comeback after another. Even the strongest of souls would have been mentally shattered after being booed and taunted left, right and center by home fans in packed stadiums across India. Hardik felt the full force of such mind-numbing fury after replacing Rohit Sharma as MI captain in IPL 2024.While many would have bristled under such negativity, the all-rounder has responded with stunning performances on the field and won over critics. “There were a lot of difficulties, a lot of things happened,” admitted Hardik while discussing the 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, highlighting the personal toll. However, fighting it out and becoming stronger is the only option for fighters with a mentality like India’s all-rounder.
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Aim high and get back to basicsHardik has built a reputation as ‘Mr. Reliable’ under pressure for Team India over the years, finishing in crucial matches such as the Asia Cup 2022 group stage match against Pakistan. However, the 32-year-old all-rounder was not content to rest on his laurels and decided to develop an extremely impressive game that would allow him to smash sixes from the first ball. The first signs of such an aggressive approach were visible almost a year before T20 World Cup 2026 in IPL 2025 where he recorded a strike rate of 163.50 compared to 143.05 and 136.76 in the 2024 and 2023 editions of the tournament.After the initial success, Hardik further decided to get back to his roots during the 10-day window before the 2025 Asia Cup, indulging in intensive sessions with his childhood coach Jitendra Singh in Baroda. Not only that, the all-rounder has gone on to put in the hard yards at Bangalore’s Center of Excellence (CoE) with a strong desire to dominate the opposition across departments.
Hardik at COE
“We worked on some technical aspects, developing a framework for an impressive game which was seen in his performances from then on. Practices lasted from 5pm to 12am, with 10 out of 10 intensity and absolutely no compromises. Hardik was always able to smash the ball but his role changed during his captaincy stint in GT,” said Jidra, again changing his exclusive approach to batting with responsibility. TimesofIndia.com.“When we play the game for a long time, the focus sometimes shifts from the basics. We came back to that during this rare window which improved things to a great extent. A specific focus on being able to break the ball well enough on the first delivery,” he added.Controlling emotions, aggression Hardik’s new approach soon worked wonders during the home T20I series against South Africa where he finished as the third highest run-getter with 142 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 186.84. One of his most remarkable performances came in the final of the T20I series in Ahmedabad where the big-hitter smashed 63(25) with a success rate of 252.The all-rounder maintained the same intent in the T20I series against New Zealand that followed soon after. However, Hardik’s runs saw a dip, amassing 69 runs in five matches, resulting in Jitendra encouraging him to control his emotions and aggression while batting.While constant refinement in approach erased the loopholes, the Team India cricketer entered the T20 World Cup 2026 with great intent and eager to strike big. Hardik smashed 217 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of 160.74 and scored two quick fifties. The all-rounder particularly stood out in the must-win match against Zimbabwe where he smashed an unbeaten 23-ball 50.Hardik went on to contribute nine dismissals while coming on in high-pressure situations. The 32-year-old cricketer disrupted the momentum of England’s chase in the semi-final, conceding just nine runs in the 19th over with the decisive dismissal of Sam Curran. Jitendra kept stepping up throughout the tournament and helping Hardik maintain his momentum. “New Years T20 World Cup Victory Talk” “I said after Barbados that whatever trophy I play for, I will win. I didn’t say it just to say it, I believe it,” the all-rounder said after the final in Ahmedabad.Hardik’s mental process behind making this belief a reality in view of the 2026 FIFA World Cup T20 began in Lucknow in December 2025. “India was scheduled to play South Africa in a T20I on December 17. At that time, we had long and detailed discussions about how to excel in cricket and in other aspects of life.” This interaction helped Hardik further develop great claritten.“He agreed to implement a lot of things that made a new version of Hardik. Someone who just wants to win as many ICC trophies as possible. After a few years we had extremely close talks which gave him peace of mind and clarity that he was on the right track,” added Hardik’s childhood coach.The 32-year-old cricketer followed up the discussions with phone calls to Jitendra on 31 December 2025 and 1 January 2026. “Hardik said, ‘Coach, I want to win the World Cup’. I replied, ‘Follow the path we discussed and the result will be in your favour’. Hardik was extremely determined.Fueled with energy and deep ambitions, the all-rounder decided to play two 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) matches despite being rested to stay sharp. One of those matches was against Vidarbha, where he smashed a 92-ball 133, including five sixes in the over. “I only win with Mahieka”
Hardik & Mahieka
Dedicating the T20 World Cup 2026 triumph to his girlfriend Mahieka Sharma, Hardik shared that after she came into his life, winning was the only goal. Jitendra believes that Hardik’s luck off the field has played a huge role in his success.“I first met her before the Asia Cup in Baroda. Hardik called me specifically to meet Mahieka and told her, ‘Talk to the coach. He knows everything about me’,” the all-rounder’s childhood coach shared. “Then he asked me: ‘How is she?’. I said: ‘She is very nice, modest, well-informed and very stable’,” he added.Hardik expressed his desire to win at least 10 trophies in the next 10 years. A historic triumph in the T20 World Cup in 2026 could mark the start of an incredible run.
Jitendra Singh with Hardik and Krunal
