Hardik Pandya Opens Up on Girlfriend Mahieka’s Impact on His Cricket

For the first time publicly, Hardik Pandya has spoken about his partner Mahieka Sharma and the impact she has had not just on his life, but on his cricket. Speaking on JioStar's ICC T20 World Cup: Star Journeys, the India all-rounder reflected on the phase that followed the last IPL season, a period he describes as one of introspection, recalibration, and rediscovery.

"I think until now, I haven't utilised more than 40 per cent of my batting potential," Hardik admitted candidly. "That's genuinely honest feedback."

But it was what followed that marked a shift in tone. "That's when Mahieka came into my life. We started talking about the sport and how to bring that child back. She helped me rediscover that excitement for the game that I always had."

Hardik Pandya Reset Behind The Scenes

Hardik revealed that the spark he once carried - the "cricket geek" inside him - had dimmed under expectations and evolving roles. While he always backed his bowling, he felt his batting had not translated into the performance he envisioned.

What followed was an intense, almost obsessive work phase. "There were days when I was on the ground for six to seven hours. When I went to the NCA, I would go at 3:30 in the afternoon and finish at 12:30 at night. I was usually the last person to leave and shut the lights off."

He changed his batting technique, altered his swing, and embraced discomfort.
"It felt like I had forgotten how to bat. But somewhere down the line, I knew I was heading in the right direction."

From 2016 Hero To 2026 Senior Pro

Hardik's journey began at the 2016 T20 World Cup when he defended 11 runs against Bangladesh in a dramatic final over. That moment, he says, shaped him.

But a decade later, the conversation is different. This time, it isn't about a single over. It's about evolution. "I want to be the cricketer who unleashes himself, sees every opportunity in front of him, and grabs it."

If 2016 introduced Hardik Pandya to the world, 2026 may well mark the version he believes he was always capable of becoming, with a renewed hunger, a reworked technique, and, as he says, the excitement for the game restored.