5 players who debuted with Hardik Pandya – Where are they now?

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya first caught the nation’s attention during the 2015 Indian Premier League (IPL) while representing Mumbai Indians (MI). His fearless hitting and electric energy made him an instant star. Over the years, Pandya became one of the most reliable finishers in Indian cricket, winning four IPL titles with MI. Later, he proved his leadership qualities by guiding Gujarat Titans (GT) to the IPL title in their debut season in 2022.

Pandya made his international debut for India in 2016 and immediately impressed with his pace and bounce. His reputation grew further after he held his nerve to defend two runs off three balls in the tense finish against Bangladesh during the 2016 T20 World Cup. However, his journey wasn’t without hurdles, a serious back injury in 2018 restricted his bowling and forced him to remodel his game. Over the years, Pandya has become a crucial part of India’s white-ball setup.

In his injury-hit Test career, the Choryasi-born has scored 532 runs and taken 17 wickets. In ODIs, he has accumulated 1,904 runs and 91 wickets, while tallying for 1,860 runs and 98 wickets in T20Is. Alongside Pandya, several other cricketers began their journeys around the same time frame, but their journey has taken them to different career paths.

Here are 5 Indian players who debuted with Hardik Pandya and what they are doing now

5. Kuldeep Yadav

Indian wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav emerged as a rare left-arm wrist spinner at a time when such bowlers were almost non-existent in Indian cricket. Breaking into the national setup wasn’t easy, given the dominance of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, but Kuldeep made an immediate impact with his unique skill set. Making his debut in 2017, Kuldeep became the first Indian spinner to take two ODI hat-tricks, against Australia (2017) and West Indies (2019). However, a dip in form and confidence between 2019 and 2021 saw him lose his place in the team.

Kuldeep made a strong comeback, regaining his rhythm and confidence. During the 2024 Test series against England, he took 19 wickets in four matches, reminding every one of his class. So far, he has 68 wickets in Tests, 182 in ODIs, and 86 in T20Is. Although he remains part of the Men in Blue's broader setup, especially in white-ball cricket, team combinations often leave him on the bench, as the management has side more to favour a spinner who can bat as well.