From battling an injury-ravaged body and making a grand comeback by leading Gujarat Titans to their maiden IPL title to leading Team India against Ireland to finally putting up a brilliant game with both bat and ball on Thursday in 1st T20I against England, Hardik Pandya's journey has not been less than a roller coaster ride.
"My mindset doesn't take me too high, nor low. I have learnt to live neutral in life. Today was a good day, tomorrow can be bad but life moves on, so keep laughing and do your hard work."
Pandya said.
Pandya smashed a 33-ball 51 to propel India to 198/8 and then finished with excellent figures of 4/33 to destroy England's batting line-up. In the process, he became only the fourth player from full member nations to score a fifty and take four wickets in a T20I match.
"Hard work always pays. I always believe that if you do hard work with good intentions, it pays. My point is how to prepare myself best. One day result will go my side, other days it won't," he added.
Test cricket is the ultimate test of a cricketer but Pandya said he is currently not thinking much about playing the traditional format as he wants to focus on white-ball cricket.
"Depending on how and what we are playing because right now this is a white-ball season, all focussed on white-ball. Right now it is better for me to play as many white-ball matches for India," said Pandya.
"The opportunity in Tests will come. What to play what not to play, time will only tell but it's simple for me, to play as a 100 per cent cricket in whatever matches I get to play," he added.
"Right now I am not thinking much about what we will be playing in the future or not. Right now I am focussing on making myself available for as many games for India.
"Talking about today's performance, obviously it's always good to perform when your team requires. For me it was simple, understanding the situation and what my team requires, just going there and doing what I do."
Asked about which aspect of his game demands more credit in the win, Pandya said: "I will give equal importance to both (batting and bowling) because that 50 was important as we lost wickets but we kept the momentum going and posted a respectable total. But the bowler will take a little more credit because that spell brought so well in the game and made life difficult for England."
(Inputs from PTI)
