I used to borrow shoes because I didn’t have fast bowling shoes: Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya is the Indian team’s designated all-rounder selected for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021 which is set to begin from October 17 in Oman and UAE. Coincidentally he is also the only seam-bowling all-rounder in the team, which makes him one of the vital cogs in the team in the batting and bowling department.

But quiz the player on how it is being an all-rounder in the team, the junior Pandya said it was by ‘pure luck’.  It is a known fact that Pandya didn’t come from a well-off family and affording expensive shoes back then was a huge task. But his life changed when he was 19 and since then he has not looked back. Pandya’s bowling has given the management an extra option to play a specialist batter or bowler in the team.

He brings balance to the team and the junior Pandya feels the transition happened during his teenage days. “I became an all-rounder by chance. It was pure luck. The transition took place when I was 19. Before I played for India, I had bowled for probably one year only,” he said in Hindustan Times’ virtual HT NxT.

“When I started bowling, I was helping out my U19 bowlers because they were tired by bowling so much. I was a batsman who used to bat at No.3. I used to borrow their shoes also because I didn’t have fast-bowling shoes.”

Hardik Pandya recalls an incident when he became an all-rounder

During an Under-19 practice game when Pandya was playing for Kiran More Academy, the pitch had a tinge of grass and was predominantly assisting fast bowlers. The team back then had no fast bowlers who could have possibly troubled the batters. Sensing an opportunity, Pandya borrowed someone’s shoes and made an immediate impact by picking a five-wicket haul. He believes it was pure luck how he became an all-rounder.

“Sharath Kumar sir was watching our U19 practice from some 200 meters away. The next day he came to watch our local game, where I played for Kiran More Academy. It was a green top and no fast bowler was available. I borrowed someone’s shoes and got a five-for in that game. That’s why I say it’s luck by chance. Sharath sir then took me a month in the Ranji Trophy squad. Before that, I didn’t bowl.”

The all-rounder will next be seen in action in The Indian Premier League (IPL) for Mumbai Indians starting from September 19.