It’s a first for an India cricketer of his standing to have up and moved to Bengaluru and put down roots at the COE. The change, which came about in the course of his rehab, is a way of staking a claim on his future in the 50-over and T20 game by being where the best facilities are, not only when there is a camp on.
Why this move changes Pandya’s next phase
For most of India’s centrally-contracted lot, the COE is a place you go for a fitness test or to get sorted after an injury. Pandya is turning that on its head. He is putting in the work there all year with one eye on the goal of playing another 5-6 years of white-ball cricket.
According to a BCCI source, he has put in a permanent shift and even put a rental on a property on the fringes of the city, not far from the Centre. That is to be his headquarters for the rest of his career.
From Mumbai routines to Bengaluru discipline
A Baroda boy at heart, but for the better part of ten years he was in Mumbai, mostly at the Mumbai Indians’ setup in Ghansoli. Lately, the back-and-forth of the city was starting to wear on him.
The daily trek from his place in Lower Parel was becoming an issue, the source says. Now in Bengaluru, he can make use of the COE any day he isn’t tied up with the IPL, state or national team.
Inside the training plan at the COE
Being a centrally-contracted player gives him the run of the Centre for anything from skills to injury management. On top of that, he has his own physio and a strength and conditioning coach to see to his needs.
He is even covering the cost of the net bowlers the Centre has on hand when he is in for a session. It is a mix of what the board provides and a support system of his own making.
What he is after with this is:
– No having to travel for fitness and injury checks
– A steady base with the right staff on hand
– An end to the Mumbai commute
– Some hands-on skills work with the paid bowlers
Injury status and comeback timeline
The 32-year-old has been dealing with a quad problem and has put in a lot of hours at the COE in the last half-year. It was enough to rule him out of the current UK tour, and now rehabilitation is something he can’t cut corners on.
After a short time off for some personal matters, he should be back in a couple of days. Whether he makes the side for the T20Is with Zimbabwe right after the UK trip is anyone’s guess; he has to get through the Return-to-Play process first.
What it signals for Indian cricket
You don’t see this kind of thing. A BCCI source says no other well-known player from the present-day set-up has made the COE their long-term base like this. They tend to come and go.
It is a matter of simplifying things: less hassle, care in one spot, and being available when needed. If he can make it work, it is a formula to keep him in the game for five or six more years, with all the training and recovery in one place.
