5 players who debuted with Hardik Pandya – Where are they now?

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya first caught the nation’s attention during the 2015 Indian Premier League (IPL) while representing Mumbai Indians (MI). His fearless hitting and electric energy made him

an instant star. Over the years, Pandya became one of the most reliable finishers in Indian cricket, winning four IPL titles with MI. Later, he proved his leadership qualities by guiding Gujarat Titans (GT) to the IPL title in their debut season in 2022.

Pandya made his international debut for India in 2016 and immediately impressed with his pace and bounce. His reputation grew further after he held his nerve to defend two runs off three balls in the tense finish against Bangladesh during the 2016 T20 World Cup. However, his journey wasn’t without hurdles, a serious back injury in 2018 restricted his bowling and forced him to remodel his game. Over the years, Pandya has become a crucial part of India’s white-ball setup.

In his injury-hit Test career, the Choryasi-born has scored 532 runs and taken 17 wickets. In ODIs, he has accumulated 1,904 runs and 91 wickets, while tallying for 1,860 runs and 98 wickets in T20Is. Alongside Pandya, several other cricketers began their journeys around the same time frame, but their journey has taken them to different career paths.

Here are 5 Indian players who debuted with Hardik Pandya and what they are doing now

5. Kuldeep Yadav

Indian wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav emerged as a rare left-arm wrist spinner at a time when such bowlers were almost non-existent in Indian cricket. Breaking into the national setup wasn’t easy, given the dominance of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, but Kuldeep made an immediate impact with his unique skill set. Making his debut in 2017, Kuldeep became the first Indian spinner to take two ODI hat-tricks, against Australia (2017) and West Indies (2019). However, a dip in form and confidence between 2019 and 2021 saw him lose his place in the team.

Kuldeep made a strong comeback, regaining his rhythm and confidence. During the 2024 Test series against England, he took 19 wickets in four matches, reminding every one of his class. So far, he has 68 wickets in Tests, 182 in ODIs, and 86 in T20Is. Although he remains part of the Men in Blue's broader setup, especially in white-ball cricket, team combinations often leave him on the bench, as the management has side more to favour a spinner who can bat as well.

4. Manish Pandey

Manish Pandey will forever be remembered as the first Indian player to score a century in the IPL. However, despite consistent IPL performances, his path to the national team was a long one. He finally made his international debut in July 2015 against Zimbabwe in Harare. His most memorable moment came in 2016, when he struck a match-winning century to help India chase down 330 against Australia with two balls to spare in Sydney.

Despite his talent, Pandey struggled to cement his place in the Indian middle order. The Karnataka batter played 29 ODIs, scoring 566 runs, and 39 T20Is, scoring 709 runs. With India focusing on younger talents, Pandey has been out of the national picture for a while. He continues to play domestic cricket and remains active in the IPL, having been associated with Kolkata Knight Riders for the last couple of seasons.

3. Kedar Jadhav

Kedar Jadhav was an aggressive middle-order batter who rose to prominence after consistent performances in domestic cricket and the IPL. A prolific 2008–09 Ranji Trophy season, followed by a standout 2013–14 campaign where he scored 1,223 runs with six centuries, earned him an India call-up. He made his ODI debut in 2014 against Sri Lanka, but it wasn’t until 2017 that he became a regular in India’s limited-overs side.

Jadhav was known for his unorthodox batting and handy part-time off-spin, often breaking crucial partnerships in the middle overs. In his international career, he played 73 ODIs, scoring 1,389 runs and taking 27 wickets. In T20Is, he appeared in nine matches, scoring 122 runs. After gradually falling out of selection contention, Jadhav turned toward politics and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on April 8, 2025. He is also a Marathi commentator for various India and IPL games.

2. Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur is known for his aggressive bowling and lower-order hitting, and made his mark in domestic cricket as one of Mumbai’s most reliable pacers. His consistent performances, including 48 wickets at 20.81 during Mumbai’s 2015–16 Ranji Trophy-winning campaign, earned him a national call-up. Thakur has represented India across formats but has struggled for consistency at the highest level.

In Tests, he has 33 wickets and 377 runs, while in ODIs he has 65 wickets and 329 runs. In T20Is, he has 33 wickets and 69 runs. He was part of India’s tour of England in 2025 but couldn’t make a major impact. Thakur continues to play domestic cricket and is currently part of the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy season, looking to regain his form. He was made the captain of Mumbai ahead of the ongoing season.

1. Yuzvendra Chahal

Before becoming one of India’s top limited-overs spinners, Yuzvendra Chahal was a chess prodigy who represented India at the junior level. His cricketing breakthrough came when he starred in the Champions League T20 final, delivering an exceptional spell of 3-0-9-2. Chahal’s performances for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL earned him a call-up to the Indian team. He made headlines after taking 6 for 25 against England in Bengaluru, one of the best figures by an Indian in 20-over internationals.

Over the years, Chahal has been a key part of India’s white-ball setup, taking 121 wickets in ODIs and 96 in T20Is. However, competition from younger spinners has seen him drift out of the national side recently. As of 2025, he represents Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the IPL and remains a dangerous spinner in franchise cricket, even though it’s been over two years since his last international appearance.