Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic got married on May 31, 2020. Photo: Instagram/hardikpandya93

Star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya, on July 18, announced his separation with wife Natasa Stankovic after a relationship of four years.

The couple disclosed the decision in a joint statement on their respective official Instagram accounts.

Pandya and Stankovic got married on May 31, 2020, and welcomed their first child, son Agastya on July 30 of the same year.

They renewed their wedding vows in the presence of close friends and family on February 14, 2023 in Udaipur in a grand celebration.

“After 4 years of being together, Natasa and I have decided to mutually part ways. We tried our best together and gave it our all, and we believe this is in the best interest for both of us. This was a tough decision for us to make, given the joy, mutual respect and companionship we enjoyed together and as we grew a family,” the couple said in the joint statement.

“We are blessed with Agastya, who will continue to be at the centre of both of our lives and we will co-parent to ensure that we give him everything that we can for his happiness.”

The couple has asked for privacy during this difficult time.

“We sincerely request your support and understanding to give us the privacy during this difficult and sensitive time,” the statement read.

Stankovic, who is Serbian origin, is a model and actress based out of Mumbai. She made her debut in Bollywood films with the political drama Satyagraha, directed by Prakash Jha.

File picture of Hardik Pandya holding the T20 World Cup trophy at the felicitation ceremony for the team at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai
| Photo Credit: PTI

Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is all set to lead India in the three-match T20 International series against Sri Lanka starting July 27.

However, one of the heroes of India’s T20 World Cup victory last month will take a break during the three-match ODI series, which is scheduled in August, due to “personal reasons”.

“Hardik Pandya was India’s T2O vice-captain under Rohit Sharma. He is completely fit and available for the three-match T20I series and will lead the side,” a senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

Rohit retired from T20 Internationals at the end of the World Cup.

The T20Is against Sri Lanka will run from July 27 to 30 in Pallekele, followed by the ODIs from August 2 to 7 in Colombo. The squad for the series is expected to be announced in the next couple of days.

While there is still no clarity on who would be Pandya’s deputy, the toss-up is between Shubman Gill, who recently captained India to a 4-1 series win over Zimbabwe, and Suryakumar Yadav, who led the side during the T20Is against South Africa last year.

About the ODIs, the official confirmed that Pandya has asked for leave and has already communicated this to regular skipper Rohit Sharma, who is also taking a break from this series.

“The break from ODIs is for very personal reasons. Hardik doesn’t have any fitness issue as is being floated in the media,” the official said.

For the ODIs, KL Rahul, who led in the last ODI series in South Africa, and Gill are in contention for the leadership role.

Thrust on domestic availability

BCCI secretary Jay Shah has made it clear that even star cricketers must make themselves available for domestic engagements when they are free from national duty. But exceptions will be made for the likes of Rohit, Virat Kohli and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.

The BCCI would, however, want all the other Test specialists to play at least one if not a couple of Duleep Trophy games in August as a precursor to the Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand.

“This time there is no zonal selection committee for Duleep Trophy. Only national selection committee will pick Duleep teams.

“All Test team contenders will be picked. For Rohit, Virat and Bumrah, it will be their choice if they want to play or not,” the source added.

Indian cricket player Hardik Pandya poses with the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup trophy, in Barbados.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Hardik Pandya rose two places to become the first Indian to occupy the number one spot in the ICC’s T20I all-rounders’ rankings on July 3, as the country’s cricketers improved their standings following their title-winning performance in the just-concluded World Cup.

The 30-year-old, who handed telling blows to South Africa in the T20 World Cup final on July 29 by dismissing half-centurion Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller in his 3/20 effort, climbed up two places to go level with Sri Lankan star Wanindu Hasaranga as the top-ranked men’s T20I all-rounder.

Following a topsy-turvy IPL where he was the target of fans’ boos as Mumbai Indians’ new captain, Pandya turned it around in style in the T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean.

Pandya made impactful cameos down the order with the bat and made breakthroughs with the ball when the team needed him to. He finished with 144 runs at a batting strike-rate of over 150 and also took 11 wickets in the tournament.

His best performance came in the final when he triggered a dramatic South African collapse after the Proteas needed 30 runs from 30 balls with Klaasen in full flow.

Pandya gave the decisive blow by dismissing Klaasen in the first ball of the 17th over.

He went on to bowl the tense final over and defended 16 runs to help India pip South Africa by seven runs and win their second T20 World Cup title.

Big mover Bumrah

India’s star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who won the Player of the Tournament award at the T20 World Cup for his 15 wickets, moved up 12 spots to be just outside the top-10. He’s at 12th, his highest position since the end of 2020.

There were other movements in the top 10 of the T20I all-rounders’ rankings, with Marcus Stoinis , Sikandar Raza, Shakib Al Hasan and Liam Livingstone rising by one spot each.

Mohammad Nabi moved down four spots to go out of the top five.

In the T20I bowling rankings, South Africa’s Anrich Nortje rose seven places to a career-best second spot to be just behind top-ranked Adil Rashid with 675 rating points.

Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has nothing but empathy for Hardik Pandya as he navigates a challenging phase in his career and is hopeful that the all-rounder, who “hasn’t been a free man in the last two months”, will become one during next month’s T20 World Cup.

Pandya endured a forgettable IPL both as captain and player with his team Mumbai Indians ending bottom of the heap in the points table. What made things worse was the incessant jeering of fans whenever he took the field, including at MI’s home turf — the Wankhede Stadium.

Also read | ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024: full schedule, dates and venues

But Harbhajan expects the tide to turn in the Americas during the T20 showpiece.

“When he wears that blue jersey, he will be a different Hardik Pandya because we know he can score those runs and take those wickets. I want Hardik to come good as he has gone through a lot and I wish him all the very best to have a very good tournament for India,” Harbhajan told PTI in an exclusive interview.

“If he has a good tournament, obviously India will have a great chance to go forward,” he said.

“Yes, his form is a bit of a concern…and lot of other stuff was going on around him, his shifting from Gujarat to Mumbai, was a big change and the team (MI) didn’t react too well to Hardik coming back and that too as captain,” the 43-year-old added.

The reason for the fan backlash against Pandya was MI’s decision to hand him the captaincy after taking it away from the long-serving Rohit Sharma.

There was speculation throughout the season that MI’s dressing room was a divided house due to the change of guard. Rohit will now captain the national side with Pandya as his deputy in the World Cup starting June 1.

Harbhajan, a multi format World Cup-winner, urged the team management to bring Pandya and Rohit on “same page”.

“…it looked like they (MI) were not playing together as a team. So there was a lot going on. Hardik wasn’t a free man in the last two months. I believe both of them and many others who have played in different teams will have to come together to do something special for the nation…,” he said.

“Winning a World Cup is a bigger achievement than winning an IPL trophy, so I would urge the management to bring everyone together, have them on one page and make sure they play like one.

“I believe it’s the responsibility of the management to come together, and win together. Even if they lose they should be losing together.”

Bumrah will need support

Jasprit Bumrah is the only speedster among the chosen three (the other two being Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj), who doesn’t need conditions to be successful, feels Harbhajan.

“Pace attack definitely could be a concern because because Bumrah is in a different league for the kind of bowler he is. He will win you games on any kind of pitch. He doesn’t need conditions whereas other bowlers like Arshdeep and Siraj would need help from conditions.

“If there’s bounce, Siraj might do well. He is tall, can also swing it both ways, hits the deck hard and has got pace. But if wickets are slow then the challenge begins for other bowlers.

“There will be lot of responsibility on Bumrah’s shoulders but I hope other guys also take responsibility to be someone special.”

IPL performances won’t matter

Harbhajan said IPL form would make no difference to the players’ fortunes in the ICC showpiece.

“No matter what you have done in your IPL career or previously, this is what counts the most…if I was in their shoes, I would be looking for this opportunity to showcase that I have been better than what I have been doing,” the ‘Turbanator’ stated.

Virat is a changed T20 batter

Harbhajan was mighty impressed with how Virat Kohli tweaked his T20 game during this year’s IPL by adding shots to his repertoire, which drastically improved his strike rate.

“Virat has shown a lot of improvement from last year to this year and people spoke about his strike rate. It was in 130s during last year and this time it is in 160s,” he said.

“Of course it’s a big big change. Virat and Rohit will have to score quickly in Powerplay but also need to respect the conditions in USA and West Indies.”

If Gambhir becomes coach

Harbhajan doesn’t know whether Gautam Gambhir, who is being spoken of as the favourite to take over India’s head coach position from the outgoing Rahul Dravid, will get the job but he does believe it would be a crown of thorns for whoever chooses to wear it.

“If I say it properly, it is a speculation, which is doing rounds…the biggest thing a coach can do is to bring everyone together, so that team plays together. So, whether Gautam becomes coach or Ashish Nehra, or whosoever gets the opportunity, hope they do better than what others before them did.” He also ruled himself out of the race.

“I don’t think I will be able to give that much time. At this stage of my life I have a young family and I need to be around them and look after them. Yes, when the right time comes, I will put my foot forward and say I am ready for it,” he concluded.

Hardik Pandya receives medical treatment after being injured during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup match between India and Bangladesh in Pune on Oct. 19, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP

Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is likely to sit out of India’s next two World Cup matches as he is yet to recover from his ankle injury that rendered him out of action last week.

Pandya had slipped in his follow-through while playing against Bangladesh in Pune on October 19 and missed the clash against New Zealand in Dharamsala on October 22.

The Baroda player had reported to National Cricket Academy on Monday in Bengaluru for injury management.

“Hardik is still under medication. While the swelling on his left ankle has subsided considerably, he will start bowling only towards the weekend. Right now, important is to give him time to recover,” an NCA source told PTI.

Rest till knock-outs?

Since India are in a very strong position to make the semifinals, having won all five matches so far, Pandya could easily be rested for the next two matches that will allow him complete recovery before the knock-outs.

“Pandya has suffered a bad sprain but fortunately not a fracture. The BCCI medical team wants to take maximum precaution. He is likely to miss next two to three matches. The team wants him fully fit for the knock-out stage,” added a BCCI source.

India next play against defending champions England on October 29 in Lucknow and take on Sri Lanka in Mumbai on November 2.

Pandya’s absence had created space for Suryakumar Yadav and Mohammed Shami in the playing XI against New Zealand.

India’s Virat Kohli and KL Rahul celebrate with captain Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan after the winning the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 match between India and Bangladesh, at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, in Pune, Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI

India’s pursuit of happiness continued unhindered in the World Cup. A fourth successful chase, this time against Bangladesh, ushered in a seven-wicket victory at the MCA Stadium here on Thursday night. Trailing Bangladesh’s 256 for eight, India finished at 261 for three in 41.3 overs, with Virat Kohli’s masterly hundred (103 n.o., 97b, 6×4, 4×6) playing the guiding light.

Initially, the Men in Blue galloped at full tilt with their aesthetic opening pair bruising the Bangladesh attack. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill found their appetisers through pleasing fours off Shoriful Islam and Mustafizur Rahman.

India vs Bangladesh | As it happened

The sixes were on view too as Rohit pulled Shoriful. When Nasum Ahmed came in early, punches, drives and slog sweeps were essayed. Gill hoisted the spinner into the stands and in a Mustafizur over, drove on either side with finesse. However, Rohit (48), after striking a six off Hasan Mahmud, attempted an encore and succumbed.

This particular over was a mixed bag for Mahmud as his no-balls and free-hits found Kohli hungrily tucking in as overall 23 runs were plundered. Kohli and Gill maintained the tempo but the latter, after going past 50, found a sprinting fielder near the ropes. India was 132 for two in 19.2 overs, but well established in the driver’s seat with Kohli playing the anchor.

A partnership ensued with Shreyas Iyer. Singles were stolen and a defensive bat was offered too as the middle overs turned slow. It was essential that the batters stayed watchful as tumbling wickets could force an injured Hardik Pandya to step out to bat. And yet, Shreyas attempted an ambitious shot and perished.

K.L. Rahul then linked up with a patient Kohli and the two buckled down. An uppish cut for four against the spin may have got Rahul initial runs but he was quick to recalibrate and play straight. He did play a few rousing shots before Kohli cantered towards his ton and took India past the winning tape.

In the afternoon, fans reached the venue through narrow country roads. Out in the middle, Bangladesh’s injured skipper Shakib Al Hasan was ruled out and stand-in captain Najmul Hossain won the toss and elected to bat. On a flat track, openers Litton Das and Tanzid Hasan started sedately before shifting gears.

Southpaw Tanzid was the aggressor, picking on Mohammed Siraj and even hooking a six off Jasprit Bumrah. Hardik was pressed into service but, after bowling three deliveries, the all-rounder hobbled out following a left-ankle injury.

Meanwhile Tanzid tore into Shardul Thakur but, in trying to sweep spinner Kuldeep Yadav, the batter (51) got trapped. India effected a second breach as Ravindra Jadeja rapped Najmul’s pads and India initiated the middle-overs strangle. Mehidy Hasan feathered Siraj down the leg-side and a diving Rahul plucked a splendid diving left-handed catch. Soon Das holed out to Jadeja, Mushfiqur Rahim tried to seal the cracks and Mahmudullah used the long handle.

Still, India largely kept it tight with the highlight being Jadeja’s acrobatic catch to pause Mushfiqur’s innings. From being 90 for no loss at one stage, Bangladesh lost its way and never recovered.

Hardik Pandya being given medical treatment after injuring his left ankle while bowling during India’s match against Bangladesh in the ICC World Cup 2023 at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on October 19, 2023.
| Photo Credit: ANI

In a major injury scare for India, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya hobbled off the field after twisting his ankle while bowling his first over in a World Cup match against Bangladesh in Pune on Thursday (October 19).

India vs Bangladesh | Follow live updates

Pandya suffered the injury during the third delivery of the ninth over when he attempted to stop a straight drive from Bangladesh opener Litton Das with his right foot in his follow-through.

He twisted his ankle as the ball passed under his leg and he stumbled to the ground.

On air, former England captain Nasser Hussain confirmed that Pandya will not be taking the field for the remainder of Bangladesh innings.

A little later, BCCI in it medical update, said: “Hardik Pandya’s injury is being assessed at the moment and he is being taken for scans”.

Pandya felt discomfort from the moment he stood up before getting his right ankle strapped, resulting in in a long delay. He hobbled towards his bowling mark before realising that he could not carry on and walked off the field.

Suryakumar Yadav came in as the substitute fielder.

Virat Kohli bowls in an ODI for the first time since 2017

Much to the cheer of the crowd, Virat Kohli rolled his arm over to complete the over. This was the first time after six years (2017) when Kohli rolled his arm in an ODI.

The Indian team management will be anxiously waiting for the result of Pandya’s scans as he lends a critical balance to the team composition.

He has been used as the first change option ahead of Shardul Thakur. With India’s top order firing, Pandya has not had much to do at number six but his batting skills are as important as his seam bowling.

India’s Shubman Gill during a practice session at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
| Photo Credit: DEEPAK KR

“It takes one day,” is the theme of the current World Cup. Across venues, these words leap from ICC banners. Perhaps it is the unspoken motto within the teams as fortunes get altered and a new dawn is embraced. True to that spirit, Afghanistan and the Netherlands ambushed England and South Africa respectively because all it takes is just one day.

However, if one team has retained its rich vein of form so far in this championship, it has to be India. With three wins on the trot, the Men in Blue have been on an upward climb even if the peak of lifting the World Cup remains an evolving dream. A familiar rival awaits India in the match at the MCA Stadium here on Thursday. Bangladesh, a neighbour with a long border and a shared love for Bengali and riverine fishes like the hilsa, has hurt India in the past.

The two distinct banana peels for India were the matches in the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies and the 2012 Asia Cup in Dhaka. The first loss saw India crashing out of the premier tournament and the then distraught skipper Rahul Dravid is now the coach while the second defeat ruined Sachin Tendulkar’s special night after he had registered his 100th international hundred. Recently, Bangladesh overcame India with a six-run win in the Asia Cup joust in Colombo on Sept. 15.

Yet, India would fancy its chances while being guarded. Rohit Sharma’s men have ticked most boxes with the batting and bowling arms being in sync. Runs posted, wickets claimed and catches taken, cricket’s elementary nuances have all been seemingly mastered by the host even if these are early days for a long-winding tournament. While the playing eleven seems set, it remains to be seen if Mohammed Shami or R. Ashwin get a toe-in, a prospect that bowling coach Paras Mhambrey did not commit upon in the pre-game media interaction.

On match-eve, a warm sun beat down on the grass and India would hope that its strategies remain efficient and the game would be as easy as dunking this city’s favourite Shrewsbury cookies into a cup of tea. Obviously, Bangladesh will have other plans.

The old duo of skipper Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim may be the fulcrum but there are fitness concerns around the former, which he partially allayed with a stint in the nets on Tuesday. However, a final call on the Bangladeshi skipper’s availability will be taken on Thursday morning.

Having lost two out of three tussles in this World Cup, the visitors have to lift their game. Bangladesh does know a trick or two about cutting down the Big Brother to size, starting from 2007. India, though, would prefer to stay imposing, like the rolling hills around the venue.

The teams (from):

India: Rohit Sharma (Capt.), K.L. Rahul (wk), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav.

Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (Capt.), Najmul Hossain, Litton Das, Towhid Hridoy, Tanzid Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed and Tanzim Hasan Sakib.

Umpires: Adrian Holdstock and Richard Kettleborough; Third umpire: Kumar Dharmasena; Match referee: Andrew Pycroft.

Match starts at 2 p.m.

Strike force: Siraj and Bumrah have combined well to deal timely blows. 
| Photo Credit: DEEPAK KR

Traversing India’s geographical diversity is inevitable for the Men in Blue while they chase World Cup glory. Be it the humid Coromandel Coast, northern hinterland, Gujarat’s dusty plains or now the leap across the Western Ghats just in time for Thursday’s clash against Bangladesh here at the MCA Stadium close to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Rohit Sharma’s men have been busy travellers.

In the weeks ahead more air miles await as the host is bound to leave footprints far and wide, be it the Himalayas, Gangetic Plains, the coasts (west and east) and the Deccan Plateau. Hopefully, the final destination will be Ahmedabad, the venue for the summit clash on November 19. But it is a milestone that is a month away and the Indian team would rather ‘focus on the process’.

Three emphatic wins over Australia, Afghanistan and Pakistan has left India in a good space. The margin of triumphs, all secured while chasing — by six wickets, eight wickets and seven wickets — reveal a top and middle-order that have delivered despite the ghastly two for three in that initial phase against the Aussies.

The return of Shubman Gill augurs well while the old guard of skipper Rohit and his predecessor Virat Kohli have clicked. K.L. Rahul and Shreyas Iyer too have been among the runs.

Tougher battles on the road ahead seem unavoidable but the batting is in good nick and the bowlers, led by Jasprit Bumrah, have delivered. Mohammed Siraj, after a middling outing against Afghanistan, belatedly found his rhythm against Pakistan. As a bowling unit, India has controlled the middle overs, its batting core has sparkled and the fielding has been adequate and efficient, and all these constitute a recipe for success.

But there could be some vulnerable spots. India’s batting has not been fully tested. Hardik Pandya got one hit, while the rest, from Ravindra Jadeja to the tail, are yet to stride towards the batting crease. In cricketing utopia, especially in ODIs, it is best if just the main batters do the job.

However, reality could spring a nasty surprise as it did during the 2019 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand at Manchester. Rohit, Rahul and Virat scored a solitary run each and despite the resistance lower down the order from Hardik, M.S. Dhoni and Jadeja, India lost the game by 19 runs.

In the current edition, India does have a weak tail, a reality that the management is attempting to mask by fielding three all-rounders in the eleven: Hardik, Jadeja and Shardul Thakur. The odd inquisition may happen but the squad exudes a quiet confidence, evident in the scintillating performance on the field and from the happy behind-the-scenes videos that the management posts on social media.

Living in the present, quelling one opponent at a time and being ready if and when a match crisis pops up remain the key, besides staying fit, both physically and mentally. The coming days, be it in Pune or in Dharamshala, should offer further hints about India’s progress into the last four.

Hardik Pandya celebrates during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 match between India and Afghanistan, at Arun Jaitley Stadium, in New Delhi, on October 11, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Following India’s eight-wicket win against Afghanistan in the ninth ODI World Cup match at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday, star allrounder Hardik Pandya celebrated his 30th birthday with his teammates in the dressing room.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a small glimpse of the birthday celebration on their official X account. “For the birthday boy from #TeamIndia From the birthday boy to everyone,” BCCI wrote on X while sharing the video.

While speaking in the video, the 30-year-old thanked everyone for the birthday wishes. He later added that it was a special moment for him to play on his birthday.

“Thank you everyone for the wishes. It means a lot for me to play on my birthday for the first time in my life. It was special and thank you to the fans and my teammates for showing so much love,” Pandya said in the video.

In the match against Afghanistan, Hardik Pandya picked up two wickets in his seven-over spell and gave away 43 runs. Pandya did not have to come to the crease since the top Indian batting lineup made no mistake during the run chase.

In the first inning, Afghanistan gave a target of 273 runs after Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai played a knock of 80 and 62 runs respectively.

In the second inning, Indian opener Rohit Sharma played a stellar knock of 131 runs from 84 balls to take the Men in Blue to a comfortable position in the game.

Following Rohit’s dismissal, Virat Kohli took charge of the game and scored 55 runs from 56 balls and slammed a four to clinch a win at his home ground.

In the upcoming encounter, the Men in Blue will square off against Pakistan at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday.