'He was insulted, mentally tortured': Ex-India star feels Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya deserves biopic

The Mumbai Indians are set to kick off their IPL 2025 season against the Chennai Super Kings on March 23rd. At the helm will be Hardik Pandya, who’s eager to bounce back after a tough 2024 season. He faced quite a bit of backlash from fans for stepping into the captaincy role previously held by Rohit Sharma, and on top of that, his personal life took a hit with the end of his marriage.

Despite these challenges, Pandya has shown incredible resilience and determination in his comeback. He fought hard to reclaim his spot on the Indian team and played crucial roles in clinching victories in both the T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy 2025. One person who’s been particularly impressed by Pandya’s turnaround is former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif. Kaif took to social media to commend Pandya’s dedication and even suggested that his inspiring journey deserves a biopic.

"He kept that pain to himself and went forward, and that has been Hardik Pandya's comeback story. It was a bad journey. Fans booed him, and people wrote him off. As a player mein apko bata sakta hu, beizatti...apman ke saath aage barna, use sehna, sabse gehra zakham hota hai (As a player, moving forward with insults hurts deeply). A player never forgets that. You can drop him, but being insulted wasn't a good sign. It turns out to be mental torture for the player. Mental torture—that is what happened to Hardik. If there is ever a biopic on him, then the last seven months should be an example for players of how to fight against all odds, stay calm, trust your strengths and make a comeback," he said.

Hardik Pandya showed us what true mental strength actually is!! pic.twitter.com/yNU18fhtkT

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) March 19, 2025

"Watch out for Hardik in IPL 2025. Mumbai will be back in the top 4; that's a guarantee. Fans will support him again, and Rohit Sharma will give him the backing. While going through his worst phase, he went on to win two trophies for India. It wasn't easy, but he fought back, so hats off," he added.

Hardik Pandya has been a key member of the Indian cricket team for the past nine years. As he turns 32 this year, it is clear that he will be a key player for the team for the next three to five years. With several major ICC tournaments coming up during this time, Pandya's role will be critical if India hopes to maintain its competitive edge in the sport.

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