Hard, but can do it!

Hardik Pandya. Pic/AFP

While all-rounder Hardik Pandya had a fine outing in India's T20 World Cup-winning campaign recently, on the personal front things have not been fine. Earlier this week, Hardik and his wife Natasa Stankovic officially confirmed their separation. The pair issued a joint statement on Instagram, announcing their mutual decision to part ways and their plan to co-parent their son Agastya. As Hardik continues to represent the Indian cricket team on their Sri Lanka tour, it remains to be seen if the emotional challenges off the field will impact his performance on it. Experts admit it's a complicated issue that needs to be dealt with in a professional manner.

Teammates play key role

"Undoubtedly, personal separations are challenging. However, Hardik Pandya is a seasoned cricketer, who has demonstrated his ability to compartmentalise his personal life from his professional career, as evidenced by his strong performance in the T20 World Cup. Focusing on the present and controlling what he can influence will be crucial for him to excel in the upcoming tour to Sri Lanka. It's also essential for his teammates, the coaching team and support staff members to recognise that he might be going through a difficult phase and offer support and create a safe space for him to express his emotions without judging him," feels sports psychologist Jaini Nandu.

Jaini Nandu, Sudha Kokate, Ajailiu Niumai and Nivedita Rajan

Sociologist Sudha Kokate believes the mutual nature of the divorce makes it better to deal with. "Since the divorce has been mutual, it is not something sudden, so the way out has been going on for a long time in their relationship. The fact that Hardik has done well at the T20 World Cup proves that he will do well in the future too," says Kokate. Renowned professor of sociology, Ajailiu Niumai feels Hardik's game won't be affected at all. "Hardik's separation from his wife has been in the news for some time now. He may be affected by the separation, but I'm sure he has been mentally prepared for this. Hence, he will play well in Sri Lanka," she says.

Also Read: Fitness concerns went against Pandya's captaincy claims, says Ajit Agarkar

Coping ability of athletes

Sports psychologist and former national level basketball player Nivedita Rajan believes athletes have a unique ability to cope with adversity. "Sportspersons endure many adversities, both professionally and personally, during their journey. This can range from periods of poor performances, non-selection, suddenly being dropped from the squad and other personal issues. This amplifies the ability of sportspersons to cope and focus on the job at hand. Coping is defined as the constantly changing cognitive and behavioral efforts to manage specific external and internal demands that are appraised as taxing or exceeding the resources of the person [by Lazarus and Folkman in 1984].

"Hardik has shown this resilience and calm when he bowled the last over of the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup final. He did well to carry the burden of the nation and its citizens on his shoulders. From a psychological point of view, sports itself is seen as a stress-buster and an outlet for pent-up emotion. Hardik has this coping mechanism and can endure this difficult period. Cricket will provide him an outlet to resonate with the situation and also try to come to terms with it," explains Rajan.