"I was shocked when I got to know it was my car."
This was the reaction of surprised Himanshu Pandya when he realised that his son Hardik Pandya has gifted him a brand new Jeep Compass SUV as a mark of respect.
Hardik Pandya gave the pleasant surprise to his father by presenting him with an all new Jeep SUV after the young India all-rounder slammed his maiden Test and first-class hundred against Sri Lanka in the recently-concluded Test series. Hardik's century helped India thrash Sri Lanka in the third Test by an innings and 171 runs and clean sweep the three-match series by 3-0.
Hardik, who made his Test debut in the first Test at Galle, was adjudged the Man of the Match in the last Test at Pallekele. While Hardik celebrated with the entire team in Sri Lanka after the triumph in Tests, he made sure that his family also enjoy their son's success.
Hardik's father, Himanshu Pandya, was at a Jeep showroom and liked one of its red-coloured SUV's. He got the surprise when the showroom's manager came to him and told him, "This is your car. You are owner", leaving him speechless and teary-eyed.
Hardik's dad then took the phone and said "I love you" to his son, who was on video call from Sri Lanka.
Speaking to www.indiatvnews.com from Baroda, the Pandya senior said he was shocked when he got to know that the car which he liked was indeed a gift from his son.
"He gifted the car to me because he slammed his maiden Test hundred. It was a surprised gift. I didn't have any idea. I was in Ahmedabad and they managed everything... they told me to go to the showroom and select a car.
"When I went there, the showroom salesman gave me the car keys. They asked me what was my favourite colour. I told them it is red. So, they gave me the keys of the red-coloured car. I couldn't believe what was happening... I got shocked.
"I am very happy... I will enjoy the driving the car now," Himanshu Pandya told www.indiatvnews.com.
Hardik, who became a household name after playing for three-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians, amassed 178 runs with an average of 59.33, including his maiden hundred and a fifty, in the series. He also bagged 4 wickets in the series.
Pandya's efforts earned him high praises from skipper Virat Kohli, who termed the 23-year-old as the biggest positive from the series.
India will now play Sri Lanka in a five-match ODI series and a lone T20I starting August 20 in Dambulla.
(With inputs from India TV Sports Correspondent Nitin Bhardwaz)
