Hardik Pandya takes massive step towards redemption with stunning IPL heist

India's marquee all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been a polarising figure. He divides opinions. And there are good reasons for that. Pandya doesn't fit into the mould of a quintessential Indian cricketer's image. In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he is the 'UnIndian' Indian cricketer.

His dressing sense, the gold chains and expensive watches, his bold statements and generally the way he carries himself sometimes give an impression that he is from Barbados and not Baroda.

But don't Indians love the West Indian players for their flare and charisma?

Of course, they do! The likes of Viv Richards, the fearsome pace bowling quartet, Brian Lara, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard etc., have a cult following in India. 

So, why does Hardik divide opinions?

Hardik himself has got to take a chunk of blame for this. His remarks on a chat show a few years ago reflected poorly on his character and the fact he couldn't provide a clear picture of his fitness status and ultimately failed at the T20 World Cup last year. 

His bold statements and off-field controversies haven't helped his cause either. 

One of the toughest things in life is to change perceptions about yourself. Perceptions stick and no matter what you do, it's very tough to make people believe otherwise.

Hardik's post-match statements after he led his side to a fairytale IPL title heist amid 100,000 home fans, and the majority of discourse on social media around it, is a perfect example of the fact mentioned above.

"I desperately want to win the World Cup for India". Now you can interpret this statement in different ways.

You can interpret it as a reflection of 'overconfidence, maybe arrogance'. Or one can look at the matter this way: Here is a guy fresh from IPL success, supremely motivated, and hungry for more glory.

In Hardik's case, the majority of discourse tilted towards the former.

Of course, it also depends on who is making such a statement. If Hardik had made that statement in 2017 when he was a red-hot property, most people would have jumped on the bandwagon.

Five years and plenty of setbacks and controversies later, not many will.

That's not because Hardik is a mug. On the contrary, the Gujarat Titans' skipper showed in the entire season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and especially in the final when he ripped out of the heart of Rajasthan Royals' (RR) batting before the run-chase, that when on song, he is one of the biggest match-winners going around. 

It's his fitness which is the burning issue. And recent controversies surrounding his bowling fitness status and poor performances in the T20 World Cup are still fresh in the mind of the fanatics. 

In short, Hardik doesn't have much credit in his account.

Coming back to the Baroda cricketer's interview after the IPL final, we as a society are guilty of painting everything in black and white.

People evolve and mature with time, but we don't in our minds. There was a sense of calm in his voice and his body language, not only yesterday but throughout his stint as captain this season.

Pandya has had a lot of setbacks in his career and personal life in the recent past. Apart from losing his spot in the national team and not getting retained by MI, he tragically lost his father last year. 

People were writing obituaries on his international career. But the all-rounder is not prone to setbacks or hardships. After all, he is a guy who has risen from the deepest layers of poverty to the peak of stardom through sheer talent and hardwork.

On Thursday, Hardik once again showed why he is a valuable asset as he became the 1st Indian to score a 50 and claim 4 wickets in a T20I.

The IPL heist came at the right time for the iconic cricketer and it's also a reflection of his mental strength and immense self-belief, in addition to the hard work he would have done during his days in the wilderness.

"I wanted to show what I worked hard for, at the right time," Pandya said after the IPL final. And, by God, hasn't he shown that to the hilt in recent months?

Perceptions stick, yes. But as he lifted that shiny trophy on Thursday, 'HP33' may have taken one giant step towards dusting that off.

And, if he can walk the talk and win the elusive ICC Trophy for India later this year, his redemption would be complete.