'My workload is twice or thrice as anyone else': Hardik Pandya's … – Hindustan Times

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Team India’s star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been on an upward performance curve ever since he made a much-awaited comeback from back injury last year. From leading Gujarat Titans to Indian Premier League triumph in his maiden season as captain to ascending to captaincy in T20Is and deputy leadership role in the fifty-over format, Hardik’s stocks have risen multifold in the past year. Today, the all-rounder is one of the first names on the Indian team sheet and last week, during an ODI against Pakistan in the Asia Cup, he proved exactly why.
Arriving to bat with India reeling at 66/4, Hardik not only played a counter-attacking knock but build a solid partnership with Ishan Kishan, eventually scoring 87 to take India to a competitive score of 266. Had rain not played spoilsport in the game later, Hardik could’ve made an impact with the ball as well. His knocks in high-pressure situations make Hardik an important part in the lower-middle order in white-ball format; however, one of the major debates surrounding the 28-year-old star is his continual absence from Test cricket.
Hardik had last played in a Test in 2018 and has since cornered himself from the format. Last year, the all-rounder stated that Test is not his priority at the moment and he wants to ease into the white-ball format first. As Hardik dons the vice-captaincy hat in the Asia Cup, he once again spoke about the workload management issues, explaining why he has to work “twice or thrice” more than any other player in the Indian team.
“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,” Hardik said on Star Sports’ Follow the Blues.
“When the game arrives, it is more about whatever the team requires, and the managing side goes out of the park, and it is more practical calls that how many overs are needed for me. Because if 10 overs are not needed, there is no point in me bowling 10 overs, but if 10 overs are needed, then I’ll be bowling. 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.”
Hardik insisted that as an all-rounder, he has to have confidence in his game and believe he’s “the best.”
“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 of time, as a batter, yes, two people are batting, he is there with me fighting, but there are also eleven on the ground against me, and at the same point of 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.”
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