Hardik Pandya was playing in Indian colors after a hiatus of more than two months during the India-South Africa T20 series. The premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya maintained a positive mindset when returning to the field. It allowed him to come back as a stronger, bigger, and better player after injury setbacks that crept in moments of self-doubt.
The star player had to wait for a long time (more than two months) due to a left quadriceps injury. While making his comeback, the all-rounder played a crucial role in India’s thumping victory against South Africa in the first T20 game of a 3 match series held in India.
The first T20I match of the series was held on Tuesday, December 10, 2025. We all know Hardik Pandya’s love for Tuesdays. Anyway, the 32-year-old announced his return to international cricket in style. He made a smashing half-century (59) in just 28 balls. His innings included six fours and four sixes. It was a brilliant knock that underlined what India was missing in white ball cricket. Apart from batting, he also picked up one wicket and allowed 16 runs.
It showcases that Hardik Pandya has fully recovered from the injury he picked up in the latter part of 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,” Pandya said 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,” added Pandya. He will be playing a key role in India’s upcoming T20 World Cup campaign.
“I had to back my shots. At the same point of time, I realised that the wicket had a bit of spice. You had to be a little gutsy, and it was more about timing the ball, not trying to break the ball. I was very satisfied with the way I was batting,” Pandya said about his innings. For his innings, he was awarded the player of the match award.
