If there is one thing that’s synonymous with Hardik Pandya, it is excitement. Whenever he takes the field, a bubble of energy tends to surround him. This lad from Gujarat is known for the ‘fearless’ brand of cricket that he plays. The flailing blade of Hardik Pandya is a sight to savour when he’s on song. Hardik Pandya burst into the national side on the back of some impressive performances in white-ball cricket. The national team’s search for a seam-bowling all-rounder came as a shot in the arm for Hardik Pandya’s career.
Hardik Pandya was born in Surat, Gujarat in October 1993. As a child, he began playing cricket alongside his brother (Krunal) in Vadodara. His father relocated to Vadodara so that both his sons could focus on cricket. Hardik, along with his brother, joined Kiran More’s cricket academy. He was enrolled in MK High School, where he studied till class 9 before dropping out in order to focus on his cricket training.
Known for his fearless attitude and hard-hitting ability, Hardik Pandya was one of the finds of the 2016 edition of the T20 World Cup. His hard-hitting ability has turned him into one of the most destructive batsmen in the shortest format of the game. In the initial stages of his career, Hardik was a spin bowler who could hit the ball hard.
Hardik Pandya’s Personal Details
| Date of Birth | 11 October 1993 (Monday) |
| Birthplace | Choryasi, Surat, Gujarat, India |
| Age | 26 Years |
| Height | in centimeters- 183 cm in meters- 1.83 m in feet inches- 6’ 0” |
| Weight | in kilograms- 75 kg in pounds- 165 lbs |
| Body Measurements | – Chest: 40 inches – Waist: 30 inches – Biceps: 14 inches |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Hobbies | Travelling, Listening to Music |
Hardik Pandya’s Family Details
| Parents | Father- Himanshu Pandya (Businessman) Mother- Nalini Pandya |
| Siblings | Brother- Krunal Pandya (Elder; Cricketer) |
| Marital Status | Engaged |
| Wife/spouse | N/A |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Vadodara, Gujarat, India |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Address | A 6,000-square feet penthouse in an apartment, Diwalipura area, Vadodara |
Hardik Pandya’s Affairs & Relationships
| Affairs | Lisha Sharma (Model) Elli AvrRam (Actress) Natasa Stankovic |
Early on in his career, Hardik Pandya dated Elli AvrRam, a Swedish actress working in Indian movies. They both were in a relationship but decided to keep it private in order to rid themselves of all the media attention. Elli posted an update on Instagram a few days after Hardik Pandya announced his engagement to Natasa Stankovic, a Serbian dancer/actress.
Natasa and Hardik made their relationship public on New Year’s Eve in 2020. A few days after confirming his relationship with Natasa, Hardik disclosed that they both were expecting their first child. Agastya, Hardik’s son with Natasa, was born on July 30, 2020, in Vadodara, Gujarat.
Himanshu Pandya, Hardik’s father, ran a small car business but had to shut it down after the family moved to Baroda. He passed away in January 2021. His mother, Nalini Pandya, is a homemaker.
Hardik Pandya’s Beliefs and Interests
Apart from his exploits on the field, Hardik Pandya is also known for getting inked. As of 2022, Pandya has as many as eight (8) tattoos on his body. Two of the most popular tattoos on his body are ‘Believe’ (on his left arm) and ‘The Tiger Tattoo’ (on the left shoulder). He tends to nurture this belief that ‘The Tiger Tattoo’ provides him with endless strength.
Also, Hardik Pandya’s love affair with cars has been well documented by several prominent media outlets. The all-rounder from MI was one of the earliest owners of Lamborghini Huracan Evo. Other high-end cars owned by Hardik Pandya are Audi A6 and Porsche Cayenne.
Hardik Pandya’s Early Life and Background
Hardik Pandya was born in Choriyasi, and his father ran a small car business but had to shut it down when the Pandya family relocated to Vadodara. Since the family was financially weak, they all had to live in a rented apartment. Hardik, along with Krunal, used to make his way to the training ground in a second-hand car when he began his cricketing journey.
Hardik Pandya’s Education
| School | MK High School, Baroda |
| Educational Qualifications | 9th standard |
Hardik Pandya studied at MK High School but could not finish his education. He persisted with cricket as his profession and decided to forego schooling altogether when he was in the 9th standard.
Hardik Pandya’s Early Cricketing Career
It is interesting to note that Hardik Pandya started as a leggie, but had to embrace seam bowling after he turned 18. He became a seam-bowling all-rounder at the insistence of Sanath Kumar, Baroda’s coach during that time. Pandya made his debut for Baroda in 2013 as a power-hitter. His exploits with the bat played a major role in Baroda’s triumphant Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign during the 2013-14 season.
He smashed as many as eight (8) sixes in a match against Vidharbha in 2016 and got the side over the line in a tense clash.
Hardik Pandya’s IPL and Team India Breakthrough
A string of impressive performances in domestic cricket helped Hardik to earn an IPL contract with the Mumbai Indians (MI). During his first season with the Mumbai franchise, Pandya scores a quick-fire 21 (off 8 deliveries) and took three catches in a match against Chennai Super Kings. He was awarded the Player of the Match award for his all-round performance in the match.
Pandya has been playing for the Mumbai franchise since 2015 and has had a major role to play the team’s strong show in recent times. Usually, he plays as an all-rounder and is tasked with getting quick runs during the slog overs.
His all-round ability is one of his biggest strengths. It is all because of his all-round ability that he was able to earn his maiden national call-up. He made his T20I debut for India against the Aussies in January 2016. In a T20I against the Lankans in 2016, he was sent in to up the ante and scored an enterprising 27 off 14 before becoming one of the three victims of Thisara Perera’s bowling. The aggressive brand of cricket that he plays has turned him into one of the Indian team’s biggest assets ahead of the 2021 ICC men’s T20 world cup.
In July 2017, he became the first Indian batsman in Test Match Cricket to score a century before lunch. He achieved this feat against Sri Lanka in a Test at the Pallekele.
Hardik Pandya’s Controversies
In January 2019, Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul, a fellow teammate, landed in a controversy after appearing on ‘Koffee with Karan’, a popular celebrity talk show. During the interaction, Pandya talked of his parents’ reaction after he told them of his first sexual encounter. He stated that the news was well received by both his parents. Furthermore, he stated that “I’m a little from the black side so I need to see how they move”. His comments weren’t received well by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
Hardik Pandya’s Brand Endorsements
Hardik Pandya has been endorsing Myfitness Peanut Butter, a brand owned by Mohammad Patel. Other prominent brands endorsed by Hardik are Gulf Oil India, BoAt audio equipment, Sin denim, and Monster energy drinks. In 2019, Gillette, a shaving equipment maker, terminated its contract with Hardik after the star all-rounder’s controversial comments on ‘Koffee with Karan’.
Hardik Pandya’s Net Worth
Hardik Pandya’s net worth stands at US$ 4 Million (INR 30 crore) in 2021. As stated earlier, he earns big bucks by endorsing some of the best global brands. Thanks to this age, he has several years of cricket left in him. Hardik Pandya has a Grade A contract with the BCCI and enjoys an annual salary of INR 5 crore. It is only a matter of time before he becomes one of the hottest properties in the world of brand endorsements and advertising.