Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 17 (ANI): Star Indian all-rounder and Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya shared a message of self-belief for youngsters playing the Indian Premier League (IPL) and also highlighted his own story of resilience throughout his career, saying that for him, staying in the 'battlefield' is important and the sport will remain his 'greatest ally'.

Hardik faced booing across the stadiums after he replaced Rohit Sharma as the skipper returning to Mumbai Indians after a successful stint of two years with the Gujarat Titans.

He will now head back to MI's home ground of Wankhede Stadium as one of the country's most beloved heroes, having played a crucial role in the team's T20 World Cup 2024 and ICC Champions Trophy 2025 title wins.

Speaking on JioHotstar to the youngsters playing in the IPL, Pandya said, 'The young players coming into the IPL are extremely talented. My message to them is simple--believe in yourself. They are here because they are good enough, but the biggest challenge at this stage is self-doubt. Sometimes, players start questioning whether they belong at this level, and that doubt can take away from their skill set. Managing that mental aspect is crucial.'

Pandya said that he can offer these youngsters the 'lessons he has learned over the years', particularly to stay balanced through the highs and lows of their careers.

'Staying neutral will allow them to maximize opportunities and seize crucial moments. They will face tough tests, but sometimes, all they need is a little patience. In terms of skill set, they are far ahead of where we were at 21 or 22. Their talent and fearless approach are already there--it's just about reinforcing their belief in themselves,' he added.

Hardik also reflected on his resilience, especially during the period when he experienced flak from fans till the time he won the country the T20 World Cup last year. He also said that during his career, he has often faced times where 'surviving and holding my ground' was important.

'For me, it has always been about never leaving the battlefield. There have been phases in my career where my focus wasn't necessarily on winning but on surviving and holding my ground. I realized that no matter what was happening around me, cricket would always be my greatest ally--it was my way forward. I kept pushing through, and when all the hard work finally paid off, it was beyond anything I could have scripted,' he said.

'The six-month phase where we won the World Cup, and then the kind of love and support I received upon returning--it was a complete 360-degree turnaround for me. Throughout that time, I knew that if I remained persistent, honest with my work, and gave my absolute best, I would come out stronger. I did not know exactly when that would happen, but as they say, destiny had its plan, and in my case, everything changed within two and a half months,' he added.

After a poor IPL 2024, during which he scored just 216 runs in 13 innings without a fifty and picked 11 wickets at an average of 35.18, Hardik made a brilliant turnaround in T20 WC (144 runs in six innings at an average of 48.00, with a fifty and strike rate of over 151 and 11 wickets at an average of over 17), and Champions Trophy (99 runs in four matches at an average of 24.75 and four wickets at an average of over 35), stepping up for India at crucial times, even delivering the match-winning over in T20 WC final against South Africa.

MI will kickstart their IPL 2025 campaign against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), their arch-rivals and five-time champions, at Chepauk Stadium on March 23. (ANI)