A well-known cricketer who has made his name in all forms of the game. His strength is right-hand bating but also bowls his right arm at medium speed. The two Pandya brothers Hardik and Krunal have made their name as international cricketers in India. He has been given the name Kung Fu Pandya for his exceptional hitting talent. His never-give-up attitude is what makes him loved by his fans.
14 Facts about Hardik Pandya
1. Early training
The two brothers were given training at the Kiran More International Academy at the age of 5 and 7 respectively. Looking at their game their father realized the enthusiasm and talent within the boys.
2. Once a leggie
During his training period at the Kiran More Institute, the team was missing one quick bowler during a match. This is when coach Kiran asked Pandya if he wanted to give it a try and the rest is history.
3. The Maggie brothers
The duo Kunal and Hardik were crazy about eating Maggie and that is when they were named as the ‘Maggie brothers’ during their teenage.
4. Attitude issues
During an interview, the cricketer confessed that he was once dropped from his state cricket group due to his attitude problem. This happened because he found it difficult to shroud his feelings and rather preferred expressing them.
5. Nickname
Each player has his own unique nickname the one that his teammates use to address them. Hardik was given the name ‘Rockstar’ by the Mumbai Indians during an IPL season. This was due to his exceptional playing skills and nonverbal means of communicating with his partners.
6. Father’s Dedication
Himanshu Pandeya the father of the Pandya brothers has been the key figure in their career. He wanted his kids to play cricket for which he even shifted from Surat to Baroda. Looking at this the brothers became more serious and engaged in the game.
7. Tattoo lover
The cricketer is fond of tattoos just like any other player. He has four tattoos at the moment which are time is cash, accept, never surrender, and a tiger tattoo.
8. Married to Natasa Stankovic
He has great batting techniques which keep him going particularly against any spinner, in many matches he has demonstrated this and won many matches without any help. He fell in love with Serbian-based dancer Natasa Stankovic and married her.
9. Great Records
He has scored 39 in an over that too without smashing six sixes. This happened during a match in Syed Mushtaq Ali’s T20 Trophy, when he smashed five sixes and a four, along with a no-ball and four runs off a bye.
10. Financially weak
As people close to their family say the Pandya’s found it difficult to meet the ends and even bear the cost of one meal a day. Their coach Kiran Moore was so impressed by their talent that he didn’t charge any money for their initial 3 years of training.
11. West Indian of Baroda
The cricketer is quite flashy off the ground. But when it comes to the game the player has a major grin and a straightforward face. This is what gives him the name of West Indian of Baroda.
12. Educational Background
He was not much into studies the only aim in his life was to become a cricketer. He quit school after failing the exams in grade 9. After this incident, he never turned to books and devoted all his time to the game.
13. Ranji Trophy Debut
In 2013 he got a chance to play the Ranji trophy while he was just in his teenage years. His match was against Madhya Pradesh in which he underperformed in both the innings. He could score only 1 and 3 runs but still, the team managed to win.
14. IPL Debut
He was selected by the Mumbai Indians to play the T20 in the year 2015. In his first season, he became a hard-hitting batsman and impressed everyone by winning the season.
Conclusion
Love him or hate him but surely you can’t ignore him. Let that be his bashing batting techniques or his lavish lifestyle Hardik Pandya has always topped the list. He is an all-rounder of India and makes sure that he remains different from the rest of the players.
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