table of contents
India national cricket team’s star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has relocated to Bengaluru and has made the city his new home as he prepares for the challenges ahead including the IPL 2027 season. Before changing his base, Hardik Pandya’s ties with KKR grew with the inclusion of Shahrukh Khan.
The move has surprised many as Hardik has spent most of his time in Mumbai over the past several years. But now, the Indian all-rounder has decided to start a new chapter by making the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru his main training base.
Hardik Pandya has shifted to Bengaluru
Hardik Pandya has reportedly bought a new house close to BCCI’s Center of Excellence on the outskirts of Bengaluru and plans to stay in the city for a long time. The main reason for this is to be close to the Center 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 has made this facility his permanent training centre. Generally, Indian players visit the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru only when they are recovering from injuries, participating in fitness tests, or attending the national training camp.
“Hardik has already permanently shifted to Bengaluru. He has rented a property close to the COE on the outskirts of the city. He will be the first Indian cricketer to make the COE his permanent training base for the remainder of his career,” a BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.
The source said, “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 skill training. Hence, he decided to make the COE his permanent base whenever he is not on IPL, state or national duty.”
Hardik Pandya chose Bengaluru over Mumbai!
Hardik hails from Baroda, Gujarat, but Mumbai became his cricket home. He trained regularly at the Mumbai Indians facilities and prepared from there for both international cricket and the IPL.
However, the 32-year-old has been spending a lot of time at the BCCI Center 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 specialists and support staff at the Bengaluru facility, but traveling 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 programs and fitness support throughout the year.
Hardik Pandya has appointed personal physio and fitness coach
Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya will reportedly have his own physiotherapist and personal fitness coach who will help him train and stay fit even when he is not at the Center of Excellence.
The source shared, “As long as he plays white-ball cricket for India, it is like shifting his base to Bengaluru, and he intends to play for at least five to six more years. Even when he does skill work, such as batting against the COE-appointed net bowlers, Hardik pays them from his own pocket.”
Hardik Pandya’s fitness race continues before Zimbabwe series
Whereas 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 is expected to return to the BCCI Center of Excellence in the next few days to continue his recovery.
However, 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 still not certain whether he will be selected for India’s upcoming three-match T20 series against Zimbabwe.