Kamal Ghorui
MUMBAI: The cricketing fraternity, today, acknowledges Hardik Pandya as one of the finest white-ball allrounders in the game, but when Mumbai Indians first spotted him in domestic cricket, he was just a hardworking youngster from Baroda, who only knew how to bat. Recounting his journey at a fireside chat with MI batting coach Kieron Pollard during the ‘MI MIX’ fan event at Jio World Garden on Sunday, Pandya said his rise was shaped by hard work and MI’s sharp scouting system.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Before I played for Mumbai Indians, I was just a pure batter for 17-19 years. The only thing I knew was hard work — if someone told me to run 12 rounds, I would run 15,” Pandya said, recalling his early days in domestic cricket.The turning point came during a Ranji Trophy match when MI scouts noticed him — almost by chance. “I was playing a Ranji game, and the scouts had not even come to watch me. That’s the beauty of the Mumbai Indians’ scouting system. They identified something special even when they were not there specifically for me. That shows the strength of their system,” he said.Pandya joined MI in 2015 as a young prospect and gradually transformed himself into a match-winning allrounder. The 32-year-old admitted that the transition from a pure batter to an allrounder was not an easy one and required him to adapt significantly, especially in terms of fitness and body management.“I had to adapt. I had no idea how to look after my body or what it takes to be an allrounder. The only thing I knew was to work hard, and that helped me come out of difficult phases,” he said, urging young cricketers to be disciplined.Now set to lead Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026 for the third year in-a-row, Pandya made his ambitions clear — win a sixth Indian Premier League (IPL) title for the franchise.“My ultimate dream is to win the IPL for the sixth time for MI. The franchise already has an amazing legacy, but I want us to play the best cricket Mumbai Indians have ever played and win as many trophies as possible,” he said drawing loud cheers from fans, who he praised for their unconditional support through good times and bad.Pollard, who has watched Pandya’s journey from close quarters, credited him for inspiring the next generation of players at MI. “The bravery and youthful exuberance of the young players excite me. When Hardik came into the setup, he worked hard and produced results on the field. The next generation is seeing that and coming in fearless — that’s what Mumbai Indians are all about,” Pollard said.
