Hardik Pandya says Mahieka helped me rediscover excitement for cricket

Hardik Pandya. Pic/Hardik’s Instagram; (right) Mahieka Sharma. Pic/Mahieka’s Instagram

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has revealed that his girlfriend Mahieka Sharma helped him find the child inside him and reignite his excitement for the game, ensuring he attained his full potential.

Mahieka, a model and actress, and has been dating Pandya since late 2025. "After the last IPL, I realised that I really wanted to play to my full potential. I think until now, I haven't utilised more than 40 per cent of my batting potential. What I know as a cricketer, what I imagine, what I manifest, and how I practice, have not translated into performance by more than 40 per cent. I took some time in my life to figure out how to bring that out. That's when Mahieka came into my life. We started talking about the sport and how to bring that child back," Pandya told JioStar recently. "Mahieka helped me rediscover that excitement for the game that I always had. I went behind the scenes, worked really hard, and had a good amount of batting sessions. There were days when I was on the ground for six to seven hours," added Pandya.

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Hardik's watch

Hardik Pandya sported a rare Jacob & Co Epic X Sport ‘Rudra' Edition watch for the tie vs Pakistan on Sunday. The blue watch has a special artwork of Lord Shiva on the dial and is valued at R25 lakh with only 25 pieces manufactured.