Injuries test you mentally; wanted to come back stronger: Hardik Pandya

India’s ace all-rounder Hardik Pandya feels a positive mindset has helped him return to the ground “stronger, bigger and better” after injury setbacks led to self-doubt.

Pandya’s return from a nearly two-month layoff due left quadriceps injury propelled India to a massive 101-run win against South Africa in the opening T20I here on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old all-rounder blazed to an unbeaten 28-ball 59 and 1/16 with the ball as he announced his return to the side after suffering the injury during the Asia Cup.

“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,” said Pandya in a video posted on bcci.tv.

“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, who will be a key member in India’s T20 World Cup campaign in two-months’ time, added.

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The cricketer said that he is someone who derives confidence from within and doesn’t bother too much about what others think about him.

“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.

“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 says he derives a energy from the crowd, which helps him live up to the expectations.

“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.”

Pandya turned a hostile Mumbai crowd, when he moved in as Mumbai Indians skipper from Gujarat Titans in 2024, into loving fans with his triumphant performance in the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.

“Life has thrown a lot of lemons at me, I’ve always though I’ll make a lemonade,” he said. Every time I walk in, I feel like all the crowd is just waiting… they’ve come for this moment to watch me bat.