Hardik Pandya became a household name after bowling a brilliant last over in an unforgettable 2016 T20 World Cup clash between India and Bangladesh. The Baroda all-rounder has been through ups and downs in his career since then, but has managed to establish his legacy as a big-match player.

During a recent interaction, Hardik recalled the moments from the last over against Bangladesh, where he defended two runs off the last three balls. He mentioned that the high-pressure over shaped him as a cricketer early in his international career.

“I think all these moments made me the kind of person I am.

There were early challenges in my international career where I had to hold my ground and back myself. It was important to have belief. In cricket, even if there is just a one per cent chance, until the last ball of the match is bowled, the game is not over. That Bangladesh match was a classic example of that. One ball before the wicket, the batter had started celebrating as if the game was over. He was celebrating right in front of me, and it was all happening before my eyes," Hardik said while speaking on JioStar’s ‘ICC T20 World Cup: Star Journeys’.

"When things turn around like that, they create wonderful memories. Every time I see it, I think about how, in the early days, that was one of the challenges in my life and one of the moments in my career that shaped Hardik Pandya. I have had many more moments like this, but my journey started with that one," he added.

Hardik said he went through a phase when he worked very hard on his bowling. However, after the last season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), he realised that he needed to play to his full potential. He asserted that he hasn't lived up to even 40 per cent of the batting potential he has.

The 32-year-old shed light on how his girlfriend, Mahieka Sharma, motivated him to work harder than ever before on his batting and rediscover the excitement for the sport.

“I think the child in me, the cricket geek, who is always there, was focusing more on my skill set as a bowler. I have always had a lot of confidence in my bowling, but batting was something that was very close to my heart. After the last IPL, I realised that I really wanted to play to Hardik’s full potential. I think until now, I haven’t utilised more than 40 per cent of my batting potential, and that is genuinely honest feedback.

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," Hardik stated.

"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. She 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. When I went to the NCA, I would go at 3:30 in the afternoon and finish at 12:30 at night. I was usually the last person to leave and shut the lights off," he added.

Playing for the country has always been a matter of pride, but expressing that flair was very important to me: Hardik Pandya

Hardik explained how he changed his batting technique and emphasised playing with flair. The star all-rounder said he was pleased now that the work he had put in behind the scenes has started to pay dividends.

“I remember when I changed my batting technique and my swing, it felt like I had forgotten how to bat. But somewhere down the line, I knew I was heading in the right direction. I think that’s because I was ready for change and ready to take myself to the next level. I could have been very comfortable where I was, but I realised that was not the cricketer I wanted to be," Hardik recalled.

"I want to be the cricketer who unleashes himself, sees every opportunity in front of him, and grabs it to the best of his ability. Playing for the country has always been a matter of pride, but expressing that flair was very important to me. When everything finally clicked, I realised that this was what I had been missing. Because of the work I put in, it is now showing," the Choryasi-born concluded.