Hardik Pandya (born 11 October 1993) is an Indian cricketer who plays for India as a fast-bowling all-rounder. A hard-hitting batter and useful seam bowler, he rose from a modest background in Vadodara to become one of the most important players in India’s white-ball teams. He led Gujarat Titans to the IPL title in their first season in 2022 and bowled the final over of the 2024 T20 World Cup final, which India won. He now captains Mumbai Indians.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Hardik Himanshu Pandya |
| Born | 11 October 1993, Choryasi, Surat, Gujarat, India |
| Age | 33 |
| Role | All-rounder (right-hand bat, right-arm fast-medium) |
| International debut | T20I January 2016, ODI October 2016, Test July 2017 |
| Domestic team | Baroda |
| IPL teams | Mumbai Indians (2015–2021, 2024–), Gujarat Titans (2022–2023) |
| Sibling | Krunal Pandya (cricketer) |
| Children | 1 (Agastya, born 2020) |
| Known for | Big hitting, IPL captaincy, 2024 T20 World Cup final over |
Early Life
Pandya was born in Surat, and his family moved to Vadodara when he was a child so that he and his elder brother, Krunal, could train at former India wicketkeeper Kiran More’s cricket academy. The family struggled financially after his father’s business closed, and the brothers often borrowed kit and travelled long distances to play. Hardik started as a leg-spinner before switching to pace bowling, and he made his debut for Baroda in 2013, helping the team win the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy that season.
Career
Mumbai Indians signed Pandya for a small fee in 2015, and his quick runs in the IPL got him noticed. He made his T20I debut against Australia in January 2016, played at the 2016 T20 World Cup and made his ODI debut against New Zealand later that year. In the 2017 Champions Trophy final against Pakistan he hit 76 off 43 balls, and in July 2017 he scored his maiden Test hundred against Sri Lanka at Pallekele, hitting 26 runs in a single over.
A serious back injury during the 2018 Asia Cup kept him out for months and needed surgery in 2019. That year he was also briefly suspended over comments on a TV chat show. He won further IPL titles with Mumbai Indians in 2017, 2019 and 2020, but his bowling workload was limited by fitness problems.
In 2022 the new franchise Gujarat Titans made Pandya captain, and he led them to the IPL title in their first season, also playing a key role in the final. They reached the final again in 2023. He returned to Mumbai Indians as captain in 2024. At the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa in Barbados he took the important wicket of Heinrich Klaasen and bowled the final over, dismissing David Miller as India won by seven runs. He was also part of India’s winning team at the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Personal Life
Pandya married the Serbian actress and model Nataša Stanković in 2020, and their son, Agastya, was born in July 2020. In July 2024 the couple announced that they had separated, saying they would continue to raise their son together. His brother Krunal is also an international cricketer.
Major Titles
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Hardik Pandya born?
Hardik Pandya was born on 11 October 1993 in Choryasi, Surat, Gujarat, India and is 33 years old.
What is Hardik Pandya known for?
Known for: Big hitting, IPL captaincy, 2024 T20 World Cup final over.
Featured image: Hardik Pandya with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after India’s T20 World Cup win, New Delhi, 4 July 2024. Photo by Prime Minister’s Office, licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.
