Asia Cup 2023: Have to believe you’re best in the world – Hardik Pandya

India’s vice-captain Hardik Pandya reckons it is crucial to believe that you are the best in the world. Pandya opened up on his workload management and how he prepares himself before the matches. The Indian all-rounder is going to hold the key for the national team with both bat as well as the ball.

Pandya scored an important knock of 87 runs in the group stage match against Pakistan and added 138 runs with Ishan Kishan for the fifth wicket. In fact, Pandya had joined forces with Kishan with India reeling at 66-4 but the duo was able to steady the ship. The right-hander got off to a sedate start but he was able to change gears towards the end.

Pandya admitted his workload is more as an all-rounder and thus it is crucial for him to manage his body accordingly.

“As an all-rounder, my workload is twice or thrice as anyone else. When a batter in the team goes and bats and finishes his batting and is heading home, I’ll still be bowling after that. So for me, all the managing, all the pushing, and everything happens during the sessions or my training or my pre-camp season. When the game arrives, it is more about whatever the team requires, and the managing side goes out of the park, and it is more practical calls that how many overs are needed for me,” said Hardik on Star Sports.

Pandya looked bowling fit in the match against Nepal and returned with figures of 1-34 in the eight overs he bowled. The all-rounder added he always backs himself to deliver the job for the team as a bowler.

“Because if 10 overs are not needed, there is no point in me bowling 10 overs, but if 10 overs are needed, then I’ll be bowling. I always believed that I give myself a chance to succeed, which is by reading the game, which is by backing myself because I have always believed that when we go as a believer, when I’m standing there, yes, my ten players, my ten brothers are around me, but at the same point of time I’m alone,” he added.

“When bowling, I have to back myself to the fullest because the opposition, the batter, they want me to make a mistake. At the same point of time, as a batter, yes, two people are batting, and he is there with me fighting, but there are also eleven on the ground against me, and at the same point of time, it could be the crowd or anything,” said Hardik.

Pandya concluded by saying that is pivotal to believe you are the best in the world in order to get the best out of yourself.

“So what I have realized is that no matter what happens, you have to back yourself, you have to believe that you are the best in the world. That does not guarantee you success, but at the same point of time, it does give you and it does guide you to work towards success, so practically back yourself,” he added.