Hardik Pandya quick reply to Ricky Ponting’s question about his family should finally settle the rumors of his divorce with Natasa Stankovic once and for all.
After a rough couple of months, Hardik Pandya is back in stellar form. The India all-rounder has always reserved his best for big tournaments, and the T20 World Cup is no exception. Although he hasn’t had many opportunities to bat, Hardik has been deadly, accurate, and impactful with the ball. With each match, he is winning over the crowd and earning the tag of ‘clutch player’ for India, a remarkable turnaround considering the severe hostility he faced from Mumbai Indians fans just a month ago.
With the mental strain of facing fan criticism and Mumbai Indians’ playoff exit, Hardik Pandya found himself at one of his lowest points before the T20 World Cup. Adding to the turmoil were widespread rumors about his marital status with Natasa Stankovic, which captured national attention. Speculation intensified when Natasa removed ‘Pandya’ from her Instagram handle and archived wedding photos with Hardik. A Reddit post suggesting Natasa could claim a significant portion of Hardik’s assets further fueled the controversy. Amid weeks of scrutiny and jeers, public sentiment shifted in support of Hardik, while Natasa faced considerable backlash.
However, in the past 15 days, things have taken a calmer turn. Natasa has reinstated some of her photos with Hardik on Instagram and shared stories of her son Agastya bonding with Rohit Sharma’s daughter Samaira and Krunal Pandya’s child. Throughout this period, Hardik remained silent and kept away from the controversy. By not addressing the rumored divorce even once, Hardik inadvertently provided a glimpse into his personal life.
Ahead of India’s T20 World Cup game against Pakistan, Hardik Pandya and some of his teammates were greeted by Ricky Ponting, the former Australia captain and Delhi Capitals coach. Ponting caught up with his DC mates Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Rishabh Pant before exchanging words with Hardik:
Hardik Pandya: “Ricky! How’s everything? How’s family?”
Ricky Ponting: “They’re good mate. Very good! How about yours?”
Hardik Pandya: “All good. All sweet.”
This brief exchange highlighted a friendly and casual moment between the players.
Hardik Pandya ticking all the boxes
He is in the right headspace through his performance. Sporting a fresh haircut, Hardik appears unaffected by the events of the past two months. Beginning with an unbeaten 40 and a wicket in India’s warm-up match against Bangladesh, he continued his strong form in the T20 World Cup opener against Ireland, claiming figures of 3/27 in an easy Indian victory.
Against Pakistan, Hardik Pandya’s true match-winning credentials shone brightly as he dismissed Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan with well-directed short deliveries. His nonchalant shrug of the shoulder exemplified his enjoyment of playing for India under Rohit Sharma’s leadership. Continuing his impressive form, he maintained his effectiveness against the USA, taking 2/14 as India secured another comfortable victory to advance smoothly into the Super Eights. While his batting prowess is yet to be fully tested in this tournament, Hardik’s current form and confident demeanor suggest he is on the right track.
