Hardik Pandya has reportedly relocated to Bengaluru and established the BCCI‘s Centre of Excellence (COE) as his permanent training base in a move aimed at supporting the remainder of his international career, according to a report by PTI.
The decision makes Pandya the first current India cricketer to permanently base himself at the COE outside national camps and rehabilitation assignments, marking a significant shift in how one of India’s leading white-ball players plans to manage his fitness and workload.
Long-term move focused on fitness and longevity
Pandya, who was born in Baroda but spent much of the last decade living and training in Mumbai, has been recovering from the quadriceps injury that ruled him out of India’s ongoing white-ball tour of Ireland and England. He has already spent considerable time at the Centre of Excellence over the past six months as part of his rehabilitation.
A BCCI source told PTI: “Hardik has already permanently shifted to Bengaluru. He has rented a property on the outskirts of the city, close to the COE. He will be the first Indian cricketer to make the COE his permanent training base for the remainder of his career.”
Unlike most centrally contracted India players, who typically use the Centre of Excellence for rehabilitation, fitness assessments or national camps, Pandya intends to train there whenever he is not representing India, his state side or his Indian Premier League franchise.
“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 skills training. Hence, he took the decision to make the COE his permanent base whenever he is not on IPL, state or national duty,” the source said.
Planning for the next phase of his career
The report added that Pandya will continue working with his personal physiotherapist and strength and conditioning coach alongside the support available at the Centre of Excellence, allowing him to combine personalised training with the BCCI’s high-performance facilities.
“It is like shifting his base to Bengaluru as long as he plays white-ball cricket for India, and he intends to play for at least another five to six years. Even when he does skill work, such as batting against net bowlers hired by the COE, Hardik pays them from his own pocket,” the source added.
Pandya remains in the rehabilitation phase of his recovery and recently took a short break for personal commitments before returning to Bengaluru. His availability for India’s three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, which follows the ongoing white-ball tour, will depend on successfully completing the BCCI’s Return-to-Play protocols before selection.
