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India National Cricket Team star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has shifted to Bengaluru and made the city his new home as he prepares for the challenges ahead, including the IPL 2027 season. Before shifting his base, Hardik Pandya's KKR links grew as Shah Rukh Khan gets involved.
The move has surprised many because Hardik has spent most of his time in Mumbai over the last several years. But now, the Indian all-rounder has decided to begin a new chapter by making the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru his main training base.
Hardik Pandya shifts to Bengaluru
Hardik Pandya has reportedly bought a new house on the outskirts of Bengaluru, close to the BCCI's Centre of Excellence, and plans to stay in the city for a long time. The main reason is to remain close to the Centre of Excellence, where he will train regularly for the rest of his playing career.
This is a rare decision by a current Indian cricketer, as Pandya made the facility his permanent training centre. Normally, Indian players visit the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru only when they are recovering from injuries, attending fitness tests, or joining national training camps.
A BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity: “Hardik has already permanently shifted 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 remainder of his career.”
The source added, “Hardik wanted to move out of Mumbai, as commuting every day from his Lower Parel residence for training had become a problem. As a centrally contracted cricketer, he has access to every facility at the COE, from injury management to skills training. Hence, he took the decision to make the COE his permanent base whenever he is not on IPL, state or national duty.”
Hardik Pandya chooses Bengaluru over Mumbai!
Hardik hails from Baroda, Gujarat, but Mumbai had become his cricket home. He trained regularly at the Mumbai Indians' facilities and prepared for both international cricket and the IPL from there.
However, the 32-year-old has been spending a lot of time at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, and he is currently recovering from a quadriceps injury. The injury also forced him to miss India's ongoing white-ball tour of the United Kingdom.
During his recovery, Hardik has been working closely with the experts and support staff at the Bengaluru facility, but travelling regularly between Bengaluru and Mumbai was a challenge for him. But with this latest move, Hardik will now have easy access to world-class training facilities, medical experts, rehabilitation programmes and fitness support throughout the year.
Hardik Pandya hires personal Physio and Fitness coach
Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya will reportedly have his own physiotherapist and personal fitness coach to help him train and stay fit even when he is not at the Centre of Excellence.
The source shared, “It is like shifting his base to Bengaluru as long as he plays white-ball cricket for India, and he intends to play for at least another five to six years. Even when he does skill work, such as batting against net bowlers hired by the COE, Hardik pays them from his own pocket.”
Hardik Pandya's fitness race continues ahead of Zimbabwe series
On the other hand, Hardik is still recovering from his injury, and his rehabilitation is not over yet. He recently took a short break for some personal work, but he is expected to return to the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in the next couple of days to continue his recovery.
Yet, there is still no confirmation on when Hardik will return to action. Even if he completes all the fitness tests and is declared fully fit, it is not yet certain whether he will be selected for India's upcoming three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe.
