‘I have got peace by looking at the brighter side always’: Hardik Pandya

Mumbai, Oct 20

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has opened up about the important role played by his family recently as he approaches the T20 World Cup as one of India's key players. Pandya has spent a considerable amount of time on his fitness over the last 18 months after recurring injuries kept him from bowling.

He is now bowling regularly for India, and attributed this not just to his focus on being back to his best but also to the positivity and focus he has felt because of those around him.

"It has to do a lot with helping myself to go back to the basics and approaching everything on a positive note," Pandya told RISE Worldwide before leaving for T20 World Cup.

"Because of that I have got peace in my life looking at the brighter side always. I know I will have good days and bad days but the positivity comes from the hard work that I put in, which then gives me the self-belief and confidence to give it everything. And with the support of my family to always have my back, I feel a sense of complete focus and positivity around me."

Pandya has had a very successful year since his return to full fitness. He captained the Gujarat Titans to victory in their first season in the IPL and has since been India's second highest run-scorer in T20Is. Pandya has made 436 runs at an average of 36.33 and a strike rate of 151.38, and also chipped in with 12 wickets to bring crucial balance to the squad.

The all-rounder said that he has had a lot of time to focus on himself and reflect on parts of his journey that he had previously forgotten. While Pandya has always worked doubly hard to get fitter, he credited his family for allowing him to go one step further during the last year or so.

"This time the difference was that my family played a big role in terms of letting me be myself. More than anything, letting me have my own time to realize what exactly I want for myself," he said.

"The credit goes to Natasha, Agastya, Krunal - everyone kind of allowed me to maintain my routine and made sure (to realize) that you know what, Hardik right now should focus on himself and he should keep himself as a priority. And because of that, I was able to understand a lot of things which I had kind of forgotten over the years while playing because there are certain things you don't write down, it just happens. But because of the support from my family I was able to know this without again experiencing - it was just remembering that, okay, at that point of time I used to feel this, this point of time I used to feel this," he said.

India's T20 World Cup campaign begins from October 23 against arch-rivals Pakistan in Melbourne.

--IANS