Hardik Pandya is the Atum of Indian cricket

TimesofIndia.com in Delhi: In Egyptian mythology, Atum is the primordial creator deity who arose from chaotic waters, bringing himself into existence before creating the rest of the world. In simpler terms, Atum created himself. This isn't a mythological story in the wrong section. It is about the rise, grind and survival of India's premier all-rounder, the MVP of white-ball cricket: Hardik Pandya.

Chaos and Hardik Pandya go hand-in-hand yet the cricketer has managed to fight the odds, shut out the outside noise and battle continuous against perception.




The quirky hairdos, numerous tattoos, a unique dressing style, flashy cars and the meanest collection of exotic watches. They love him for cricket, question his choices, and troll him for his personal life. Yet, that one glance leaves a lasting impression and a warmth that instantly makes you feel at home. Hate him, troll him but you can't ignore him. Pandya is the heartbeat of India's white-ball set-up and the crucial piece that has kept the scales in balance since 2016.

However, 2016 is not the key year in the Pandya story. It was the 2013-14 season of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and John Wright was watching one of Baroda's games from the stands. The then Mumbai Indians head coach was scouting local talent for the franchise and it was that first glance of Pandya that left a lasting impression on the New Zealander. It happened over a decade ago but the 71-year-old remembers the details as if they occurred yesterday.

"I watched him for a week in the various games at BKC. He didn't get a lot of runs, but he had an attitude. He kept trying to hit it over the boundary and attack. We tried to sign him that year only as we had a gap in our squad. I think Jalaj Saxena got injured and we could have replaced him, but Hardik picked up a back injury, so we couldn't. He came to nets at Wankhede and bowled and batted. And then he got injured, so we couldn't get hold of him that year.

"We got him the next year. I was lucky, you know, because I played against Kiran (More) and Kiran and I have been mates for years. And he knew a bit about him, but I loved his attitude. Yeah. I'll never forget that clip of his hip - like Virender Sehwag, which, you know, sometimes it's just a shot that you see. That was 2014, he played for us from 2015 and started winning titles with us," Wright tells TimesofIndia.com from New Zealand.

Pandya's entry into the MI setup meant he shared the dressing room with absolute legends of the game. In that dugout, he found mentors and coaches and formed bonds that remain strong. Kieron Pollard's entry into his life remains a defining moment of Pandya's career.

In the West Indian all-rounder, Pandya found someone he could relate with, speak to and learn from. While those lessons went beyond cricket, the classes didn't start instantly but the early confidence was something which stayed with Pollard for many years.

"My first thought of him, again, someone who's excited, someone who had that youthful sort of exuberance coming into sort of the unknown world, but still just being himself. And again, I think that is what took me aback because normally when guys come in into a setup like a MI, they're normally shy. But he wasn't shy. He was confident. And I think that was what, you know, took me," says Pollard in an exclusive chat.

While the first impression was very good, Pollard took it easy with the young all-rounder. He wasn't looking too far ahead but the moment he saw Pandya navigate through the lows of his career, he made a decision. The West Indian was convinced that Pandya has the "true mettle" to excel at the big stage and "made for the big times."

"I think it took a couple of years for me to actually make that determination in terms of 'he's cut out for it' because he had highs and then he had some lows. And that's where you can actually see the true mettle of an individual because it tends to happen. You have a one good season and then that's it for some guys. But the manner in which he went through his highs and lows, is sort of proof to myself that he has what it takes. And again, for us, we spent a lot of time together.

"He spent a lot of time chatting about cricket, about life, you know, brains and stuff like that. And so all of these things as well, after it has been taken in and then you see the expressiveness on the field, again, that's when you really realise, okay, this guy, he's made for the big times," explains Pollard.

During his early days in the MI set-up, Wright noticed the growing closeness between Pandya and Pollard, and saw the friendship blossom into a special bond. It rubbed off on the cricket too as the veteran coach still feels that the "best coaching comes from your co-players".

"I think one of the things that stands out is that they were great mates. They seemed to get on really well. And obviously, playing together that relationship helped. The best coaching comes quite often from your co-players. From the mates in the team. You can be a coach, but the best coaching comes from your teammates. It's an old-fashioned way of learning. But it's probably the best and strongest.

"For instance, when in the Indian team, Anil Kumble's influence on our spin bowlers was huge. Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman's influence on other batters was massive. I think as a coach, you need to create that environment so that the players are learning off each other. And I think that has happened with Polly. But I think they love each other's company. They're great mates. He learned an awful lot from Kieran Pollard," says Wright.

In his numerous interactions, Pandya has always called Pollard as the brother from another mother. The bond between the two remains special, and Pandya maintains that his Caribbean outlook on life continually draws him to Pollard. When Hardik's brother Krunal entered the MI set-up, the trio instantly clicked and together became the franchise's heartbeat for many years - helping them win titles and dominate the IPL. In Pollard's words, they were the "real engine room" of the setup. Regarding the Caribbean outlook, Pollard doesn't restrict it to music and style.

"We tend to associate that with Caribbean and West Indian music and style. But we also have that pride and that passion as well for performance. As soon as you don't perform, people look at what you're doing. That's exactly from a Hardik perspective. That's exactly what has happened to him. He dresses nicely, he's there, he likes himself, he likes to look nice. He has that flair. People tend to try to use that against him. Because they don't have that confidence. That's what happened. So that is certain things that can resonate with myself," says Pollard.

Pollard and Pandya spent numerous late nights and early mornings in the hotel corridors, and it wasn't just fun and games. It was about life, cricket and everything that happens in between. During his active playing days, Pollard was always known to shut out the outside noise and speak his mind. It's an art that takes years to master but with Pollard's words of wisdom, Pandya had an early bootcamp that prepared him for the numerous battles life, and cricket, had in store for him.

"I think it was just one of the conversations and one of understanding who can have an impact on you and who you allow to have an impact on you. If you know that you're doing everything that you need to perform on a cricket field, and it's not happening, it's ok because it's a game, it's a sport, you feel a lot, right?. But if you allow people who can't even pick up a bat or a ball or who only have an opinion because they're watching data to affect you, that's where the problem is.

"My cricket will speak for me. And if my cricket doesn't speak for me today, it's over. I'll get it to speak for me tomorrow. And that is the mentality I've had and that is the mentality that we sort of drill the conversations. Because people tend to say things but we can control what we can control. We don't live it. But when you start to live it mentally, you get stronger," Pollard reveals the conversations he had with Pandya to mentally prepare him for the battles.

Over the years, Pandya has been labelled as fragile and injury-prone, with very little appreciation for the relentless grind of a premier all-rounder. He isn't just a bits-and-pieces cricketer; he's a freak who can break into any XI purely on the basis of his batting or bowling. Career threatening injuries and surgeries later, Pandya continues to go strong and has already played 131 T20Is and 94 ODIs for the country. And he is not done yet!

"He would have been told a lot of things. He wouldn't be able to bowl again. His body's not strong. Who are you to say something like that? If you're not the expert. So when you realise that those are just words and people are using words to maybe create an agenda. Just channel your energy to say, okay. If you tell me I can't, I will show you I can. That's exactly, you know, what he did over the years. As I said, it has not been easy for him. And a person like that. And living in India. The media is going to use that as a target.

"So that's the consequence that comes with the overall of that lifestyle. But you have to be able to be strong enough to overcome it. I believe he has been strong enough to overcome it. Who says they're not going to have more? Because life is like, life is a life thing. But he has the, he has now the template to overcome it. That's it," says Pollard.

Flashy wraps on the car, expensive watches and an envious lifestyle. While Pollard wouldn't buy most of the things - exhuberantely priced watches in particular - which Pandya does but he is an incredidbly proud "brother from another mother" to see the story unfold from close quarters. Pollard understands that feeling of winning a World Cup for the country, giving more than 100% in matches and during preparations but hopes Pandya is remembered for "what he has done on the field"

"I just hope and pray one day that we continue to remember Hardik Pandya for what he has actually done on the cricket field. Rather than the expensive watches and the cars and all that, because that tends to come first. As cricket tends to come second in the media world. For what he has done from a cricketing perspective and whiteball cricket, Doing what he did especially after where he came from, the support he had from family - we must not forget that. The journey has been phenomenal and long it may continue," says Pollard.

Before disconnecting the call, Pollard remembered to laud his red-ball outings for India too. The current perception is that Pandya doesn't want to play Test cricket for India anymore but just like Atum, he is determined to rise from chaotic waters.

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