Hardik Pandya has made a major move in his international career to Bengaluru where he has set up the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) as his home training base.
Pandya has rented a residence on the outskirts of Bengaluru, close to BCCI's state-of-the-art facility, which allows him to train there all year round, whenever he is not involved in international or franchise cricket.
Pandya will be the first Indian cricketer to regularly use the Centre of Excellence as his training center for the rest of his playing career.
Closer access to world-class facilities
BCCI’s Centre of Excellence has been used by contracted Indian cricketers for rehabilitation, fitness assessments, national camps and skill development. It also hosts youth training camps and is available for athletes from other sports.
According to a BCCI source, Pandya decided to relocate because he was finding it increasingly difficult to balance his training routine with the daily commute from his residence in Mumbai's Lower Parel.
Hardik has already moved permanently to Bengaluru. He has rented a property on the outskirts of the city, close to the COE. He will be the first Indian cricketer to make the COE his permanent training base for the rest of his career," the source said.
Pandya will have access to state-of-the-art rehabilitation, sports science, fitness, medical and cricket-specific training resources year-round while staying in the facility.
Continuing Personal Training Team
Even as Pandya moves closer to the Centre of Excellence, he is expected to continue working with his personal physiotherapist and strength and conditioning coach.
The support of his personal staff will complement the specialized programmes supervised by the COE's medical and performance experts.
The report also mentions that Pandya himself pays for optional skill sessions, net practice and bowling resources offered through the Centre of Excellence.
Recovering from Injury
Pandya's move comes during his recovery from a quadriceps injury that kept him out of India's white-ball tour of Ireland and England.
Over the last couple of months, he spent a lot of time at the Centre of Excellence undergoing rehabilitation and gradually rebuilding his match fitness under the tutelage of BCCI experts.
Eyes Longer International Career
Pandya sees it as a long-term investment to extend his international career, the publication said.
The all-rounder wants to work for another five to six years in India’s white-ball setup and believes that full-time training at the Centre of Excellence will help him better handle his fitness, reduce injury risks and keep his performance high.
As a result, Pandya's decision is rooted in a desire to preserve his physical health after a career that has been marred by injury.
Return Expected Against Zimbabwe
If his rehabilitation continues as planned, Pandya is expected to return to competitive action during India's upcoming three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe in July, after the end of the England tour.
In Bengaluru, the Indian all-rounder will have access to world-class sports science facilities and a structured training environment to stay fit and continue to make a big contribution to Team India’s white-ball game in the coming years.
