2019 so far has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride for Hardik Pandya. After a lengthy time on the sideline following the back injury he suffered in the Asia Cup, he joined the national team during the third Test in Australia. But days later, his career almost derailed when he found himself in the centre of the storm after the Koffee with Karan controversy. The BCCI then sent him and KL Rahul back home before suspending both of them.
But the Committee of Administrators provided the duo the much-needed lifeline by allowing them to return to action pending the appointment of an ombudsman. Consequently, Rahul joined the India A team while Pandya went to New Zealand where he played three ODIs and three T20Is. He, however, suffered another setback after the tour when a back injury sidelined him again. As a result, he missed the T20I and the ongoing ODI series against Australia.
There were also doubts over whether he would be fit in time for the upcoming Indian Premier League. Well, the allrounder has given the national team and his IPL team Mumbai Indians a huge boost by resuming training.
Pandya, on Tuesday, resumed training Tuesday at the pre-season camp of Mumbai Indians.
According to PTI, Pandya along elder brother Krunal joined the Mumbai Indians camp at the Reliance Corporate Park cricket ground in Ghansoli. The official informed that Hardik did “strength endurance training” on Tuesday. Apart from Pandya brothers, the other big names who attended the camp were Jayant Yadav, Rahul Chahar, Barinder Sran, Rasikh Salam, Mitchell McClenaghan and Ishan Kishan. The report also claimed that the players are scheduled to move to Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from March 17.
Mumbai Indians, meanwhile, will be eyeing a good season this year. The three-time IPL champions had a disastrous campaign last year where they had won just two of their opening seven games. They revived their campaign towards the end but eventually crashed out at the league stage. They finished the season at the fifth position with just six wins in 14 games.