Image Credit- CREIMAS
Following one of the most spectacular jailbreaks during a 2022 T20 World Cup match against Pakistan, Hardik Pandya sat down on the MCG press room floor with reporters. said something that drew our attention: something about having overcome the fear of failing and rising above outcomes. Was he stating this in light of India’s victory? Would he have felt any different if India hadn’t?
“Somewhere down the line I have accepted the fact that this sport will give me ups and downs. The more ups I have the better, but even the downs I will cherish because failure teaches you a lot of things.”
In all honesty, this is the proper way to play the sport. This is how you function at your best. Many have attempted and failed to find that equilibrium. You just can’t do this sport. Play as if you don’t care, but you have to care like crazy. That is nirvana that only the greatest can achieve.
Indeed, Hardik’s injuries reappeared. It wasn’t possible for the sole man in India who is capable of doing what he does. He injured himself once more last year while attempting to field off his own bowling during an incredible ODI World Cup performance.
The specifics are irrelevant at this time; eventually, they will undoubtedly have their say; but, following an incident at the Mumbai Indians, nobody dared to come near Hardik.
Everywhere he went, he was jeered at, and eventually the throng made him into a spectacle. Nor did the ball come out of his hand perfectly. The bowling coach for India, Paras Mhambrey, noted that Hardik continued to adhere to the effort, intensity, and net practice regimen while being electronically monitored by the team management. Someday his luck has to run out, Mhambrey claimed.
During this T20 World Cup, things did indeed improve. He was a member of a capable team under the circumstances. The world did not need to weigh on him. First against Ireland and then against Pakistan, wickets began to fall. Runs showed up when they were needed. He looked like a Tamil movie star when he reached the end, with clean cuts and simply a moustache without any facial hair.
Jasprit Bumrah, his MI teammate, saved the game from certain death until Hardik returned. He got off to a wide slower start and was fortunate enough to catch Heinrich Klaasen, who posed a threat, off balance. Then he became more tense. Cutters enter the field. Nothing elaborate. didn’t attempt to undo it as Bumrah did. preserved it for Bumrah, just as Bumrah had.
Hardik had a lot to defend in the twentieth over thanks to Bumrah and Arshdeep. Even though just 14 runs and two wickets had fallen in the previous four overs, David Miller remained. In the final over, anything may happen, particularly if the opening ball flies. The length was severely off, but the line was correct.
Miller hits these full tosses for six blindfolded, but this is the last over of a World Cup final. The hit was not the sweetest, but for all money it looked enough to clear the rope and catapult his side right into the mix. But Hardik’s other MI team-mate Suryakumar Yadav took a catch for the ages.
These are the margins. Nevertheless, he eventually won the game. The way Rohit pecked Hardik on the cheek is a perfect example of what it can accomplish in sports to be a member of a winning team.
The most important lesson to learn from all of this is that emotions never truly end until a cricket player retires. Like Rahul Dravid, you can win your first World Cup even after you’ve retired from competition. You have to continue exercising, pick yourself up, and go back to work. And if you can, rise above the outcome and make a living off of it.