'Life threw me lemons, I’ll make lemonade': Hardik Pandya on his comeback and mindset

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya feels a positive mindset helped him return stronger after injury setbacks. The 32-year-old missed nearly two months due to a left quadriceps injury but made a strong comeback in the first T20I against South Africa at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, on Tuesday (Dec 11). Pandya starred with both bat and ball, scoring an unbeaten 59 off 28 balls and taking 1/16 as India won by 101 runs.

“My mindset was really about coming back stronger, bigger, better. Injuries test you mentally and at the same point in time, it kind of puts a lot of doubts... and a lot of credit to the loved ones,” he said in a video posted on the Instagram page of BCCI.

He added, “I've stood strong, I've done a lot of things with grace and that has helped me to become even more confident, back myself and really trust my skillset... I really believe in myself as a player. I've always believed that if you don't believe in yourself, how would others believe you?”

Pandya also spoke about staying true to himself. “I think I have been a very honest, very real person in life as well, which has helped me a lot. I don't really sugarcoat a lot of things in my life. It's never about the other person; it's never about how others think or how others perceive. It's always about how I feel inside,” he said.

He wants to enjoy cricket while constantly improving. “Now, it's time where Hardik Pandya wants to just play the sport, enjoy every second on the ground... and bigger and better will be the motto in my life,” Pandya said. The crowd also inspires him. “You should be a rockstar. You come, perform for 10 minutes, and the crowd goes berserk. I think that has been the biggest motivation for me,” he added.

Pandya has previously won over fans, including when he became the Mumbai Indians captain from the Gujarat Titans in 2024. “Life has thrown a lot of lemons at me, I've always thought I'll make lemonade. Every time I walk in, I feel like all the crowd is just waiting... they've come for this moment to watch me bat,” he said.

With the T20 World Cup just two months away, Pandya’s return gives India a huge boost. His confident mindset and all-round abilities make him a key player for the team.