Ponting pranks Pandya in debut IPL season story
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting played a prank on Hardik Pandya during his debut IPL season with Mumbai Indians in 2015, the Indian all-rounder revealed, recalling how the incident left him briefly stunned before becoming a dressing-room joke.
Pandya said Ponting, then MI coach, tricked him during training, testing the youngster’s nerves in his first year at the top level. “I was new and didn’t understand what was happening,” Pandya admitted, describing the moment as both confusing and memorable.
The India star added he later realised it was a light-hearted initiation. “After that I knew it was just a prank and everyone started laughing,” he said.
Reflecting on Ponting’s influence, Pandya noted, “He always pushed me to be tougher,” highlighting how early experiences helped shape his growth into a key IPL and India player.