"A lot of things were said for me" - Hardik Pandya reveals how he ensured his India comeback

Every cricketer wants to represent their country at some point in their career. But it is very difficult to make it into the Indian team because of the number of cricketers and the competitiveness. That is the reason that many cricketers, even after playing a few games, never get another chance.

The star all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, also struggled due to fitness, form and injuries. And it took him one year to make it back to the Indian team. The all-rounder played his last match for India in the last T20I World Cup, before making it to the squad against South Africa.

However, he got his chance after a sensational performance in the recently concluded season of the Indian Premier League. He led the new franchise, Gujarat Titans, to the IPL title in their maiden season and also performed well individually as well with both bat and ball.

The 28-year-old scored 487 runs in 15 games and also picked up 8 wickets in the tournament. He made his comeback to the team after this performance. And now Hardik has opened up about his struggles he had last year. In a discussion on Star Sports, he said that the biggest battle he had was against himself.

Hardik also opened up about winning the IPL. He said that it was a really special thing in his career, but many people doubted him at the start and said many things, but for him, the best thing was to remain silent, and other things followed him after that.

He also stated that he used to wake up at 5 am for training in the morning, and then at 4 in the evening, repeating his training on a regular basis. The all-rounder also said that during this schedule, he slept at 9 pm daily for four months to give his body the required rest.

He added, "A lot of sacrifices were made but for me, it was the battle which I fought before playing the IPL. After seeing the result, it was more satisfying for me, as a cricketer."

When asked about his comeback to the Indian team, he replied that he is very excited because it is a special thing and that too after a long time. He also pointed out that making a comeback gives him the opportunity to showcase his hard work and do well for the country.

Hardik concluded, "It gives me immense pleasure, so just looking for positive days and exciting days ahead." Notably, the all-rounder made a really good comeback in the first T20I against South Africa. He played a brilliant cameo of 31 runs off 12 balls.