The flamboyant all-rounder was under the scanners ahead of the T20 World Cup. Under his captaincy, Hardik finished at the bottom of the points table and failed to get going with the bat (216 runs) and ball (11 wickets). His fitness has also been a talking point for the last couple of years, as his frequent injuries have hurt India’s balance.

Meanwhile, he returned to the Indian team and proved his worth once again in the major ICC event. He has picked five wickets in two matches but, with the bat, had a forgettable outing against Pakistan – 7 runs off 12 balls.

Team India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey talked about Hardik’s low phase in the IPL 2024.

“One thing I’m sure about is that he has confidence in his ability. Sometimes there’s no rhythm in a tournament, despite trying repeatedly. It takes time. I think that was a phase (in the IPL) where the rhythm was missing,” Mhambrey told media on the eve of the India vs USA fixture in New York.

Mhambrey lauded Hardik for his work ethic, as he kept working hard, which is now resulting in better performance.

“Had he not worked on that, it would have been a little worrisome. But one thing was, for sure, that his work ethic was going on the same as before. So, if that is going on with him then after one or two matches, the bowler finds the rhythm,” he added.

The bowling coach further talked about Hardik’s dedication and how he worked in the nets to get his rhythm back.

“Because he has done a lot of bowling, he has a lot of understanding about his bowling. So, he was sure that if his work ethic was going on, he was bowling in the nets regularly then everything would fall in place. And you can see, what he’s doing now as a bowler,” he added.