The Indian Premier League is just a week away and this year, it means a little more than usual for a lot of players in the international circuit. This year’s IPL is going to be very important for the immediate future of several stars who want to be in the scheme of things for the T20 World Cup scheduled later this year.
For the Indian national team, focus will be on the likes of Mohammad Shami, Rahul Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan and of course Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya - all of whom will be looking to put in strong performances to finalise their ticket for the World Cup.
Pandya in particular is an interesting case, having not played the game since the T20 World Cup held in November 2021. For that matter, the all-rounder did not bat or bowl in the final two matches played against Scotland and Namibia.
Speaking via the IPL website, Pandya stated that hard work always does not guarantee success and he is looking to follow the correct processes to get where he wants to be.
“I am looking forward to this IPL because I have been away from the sport for quite a long time. For me it is exciting. I will get to see where I exactly am after three months of hard work that I have put in behind the closed doors.”
It needs to be noted that Pandya has not played domestic cricket in a long time and recently checked into the National Cricket Academy to prove his fitness.
“Right now, I just want to be in a positive mindset and I’m not looking way ahead. I am just focusing on things that are the controllables, which is looking after my body and making my team win. ”
“I am just a work in progress right now but for me what will be important is that I will always be available for the players no matter what time and day.”
There will be a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of Hardik Pandya before Gujarat Titans lock horns against Lucknow Super Giants on March 28.