Ahead of India’s Asia Cup 2025 clash against Pakistan, former coach Abhishek Nayar revealed that Hardik Pandya focuses more on fitness than skill during his pre-game preparation. Nayar added that the all-rounder spends more time practicing his bowling than batting in the nets.
India secured a dominant nine-wicket win in their Group A opener against the UAE in Dubai on Wednesday, September 10. They will take on Pakistan in their second group match at the same venue on Sunday, September 14. Speaking to Sony Sports, Nayar shared insights into how Hardik readies himself in the nets before a game.
“He is actually slightly different. He doesn’t believe too much in skill. He practices a lot, but he practices bowling more than batting. However, he pays a lot of attention to his fitness, health, and body. He has a routine, where he does yoga, concentrates on his nutrition, and trains for two to two-and-a-half hours every day,” he responded.
The former India all-rounder praised Hardik for his focus and hard work before the tournament.
“He is extremely diligent there. He always remains right mentally, but he tries to remain physically right. After that, he does whatever pre-tournament preparation he deems right. However, otherwise, he is mentally extremely strong,” Abhishek Nayar observed.
“He Stays Calm” – Ajay Jadeja On Hardik Pandya Ahead Of IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 Clash
In the same discussion, former India captain Ajay Jadeja was asked about Hardik Pandya’s self-belief and the confident attitude he shows on the field, which can unsettle the opposition.
“That’s his strength. He has the skills – batting, bowling, and fielding. He is an athlete as well, but he has been seen batting at the end in many important matches against Pakistan. He doesn’t get rattled, although you might have seen his partners getting rattled at times,” he replied.
The former India all-rounder said Hardik’s confidence stood out, even during MI’s IPL 2024 struggles.
“His strength has been his confidence. When things don’t go well, it seems like he is overconfident. There is a very fine line between confidence and overconfidence. If you see the second-last MI season, his belief remained the same, but nothing happened the entire year,” Jadeja observed.
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