Hardik Pandya, who is one of the best cricketers in the world today, was on TV and the media for prayers at Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala and he was accompanied by his girlfriend Mahieka Sharma and had a completely shaved head as he walked towards the temple to ask Lord Venkateswara for divine blessings. Pandya and Sharma were both wearing white as is the custom for the holy shrine and the early morning Suprabhatha Seva was held. Their temple visit made it onto the social media sites immediately and created quite a stir among fans and followers.
The pilgrimage to shave one’s head at the Tirumala shrine is deeply embedded in our culture, to show your faith, to be thankful to God for the answer to prayers, and to ask God for help. The veteran all-rounder has not publicly stated his religious agenda behind the pilgrimage or his look, but the images of his visit are spreading online. Pandya is on the road to full fitness after a long period of time on the sidelines because of injury.
He has been out of action from ODI and T20I cricket since the end of the Indian Premier League 2026 season. His physical problems started when he had back stiffness during the tournament, and that was compounded by a subsequent thigh injury that forced him to halt his innings too soon. Pandya missed all but a few of the key international assignments for India - the limited overs series against Afghanistan, the ODI and T20I tour to England and the white-ball series in Zimbabwe during this time of recovery.
Pandya was the Mumbai Indians’ captain in the IPL 2026 season which was a tough one for the five-time champions and they didn’t make it to the playoffs. And with his eyes firmly on a successful return to the cricket field, the spiritual retreat to Tirumala gives him a respite and a chance to recharge and regain his concentration as he works with medical and training experts to get back to his peak physical state for future international commitments.
