For Hardik Pandya, the past few months have been a whirlwind of highs and lows. The dynamic all-rounder's journey took a dramatic turn during the 2023 ODI World Cup when a freak ankle injury abruptly cut short his campaign. This injury sidelined him from all forms of cricket until March this year, when he made a much-anticipated return to the Indian Premier League. However, this return was the beginning of an entirely different saga.

In November last year, Hardik's return to the franchise that ignited his IPL career, the Mumbai Indians (MI), was met with great fanfare. The Mumbai faithful, who had always adored their star player, were thrilled to see him back in blue and gold. However, the atmosphere quickly soured when the franchise made a controversial decision: Hardik was named the successor to Rohit Sharma as the team's new captain. This move did not sit well with the MI fans, who held Rohit in the highest regard for his leadership and success with the team.

As the new season commenced, Hardik found himself in a rather uncomfortable position. The very fans who once cheered him now greeted him with boos at the Wankhede Stadium, the iconic home ground of the Mumbai Indians. The weight of this disapproval seemed to burden Hardik and, arguably, the entire team. MI struggled throughout the season, managing only four wins and finishing at the bottom of the table.

Yet, as often happens in the world of sports, redemption was just around the corner. The fairytale ending came swiftly for Pandya, who transformed from a downfall for the Mumbai Indians into a national hero in the span of just a month. His redemption arc reached its zenith in the T20 World Cup, where he delivered outstanding performances with both bat and ball. Hardik's heroics in the tournament were nothing short of spectacular, culminating in a match-winning performance in the final against South Africa in Barbados.

With the entire nation watching, Hardik bowled a brilliant final spell that turned the tide in India's favor, ensuring a dramatic victory that ended the country's 11-year wait for an ICC trophy. The once-booed captain of Mumbai Indians was now celebrated as the hero who had brought glory back to Indian cricket.

And so, it only seemed fair when Hardik, in a post that certainly invokes emotions, shared two pictures highlighting his transformation over the past months, ever since he endured the injury at the ODI World Cup.

“Was a difficult journey after the freak 2023 WC injury but well worth the effort with the T20 WC win. The results come as long as you put in the effort. Hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. Let’s all try our best and work on our fitness,” Hardik wrote.

With stalwarts like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja bidding adieu to the T20Is, Hardik Pandya will now step up as one of the senior members of the side. However, as it usually happens in the sporting world, another major overhaul is imminent.

From vice-captain to… nothing?

When the T20 World Cup ended with India's win, there were little doubts on who would succeed Rohit as India's new T20I captain. And, for a change, this assumption was hardly met with opposition.

However, recent reports have suggested that Gautam Gambhir is inclined to name star batter Suryakumar Yadav the side's new T20I captain. The BCCI is expected to announce India's limited-overs squad for the tour of Sri Lanka on Thursday, which will put down the rumours on the leadership role.

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