Hardy Sandhu cricket career: Here’s how former India U-19 pacer went off the radar

Hardy Sandhu cricket career: The cricketer-turned-singer opened up on getting injured and subsequently travelling to Australia.

Not many are aware about the fact that singer-turned-actor Hardy Sandhu was once an India U-19 cricketer who played alongside the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Ishant Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara and Robin Uthappa.

Apart from representing India in youth cricket, Hardavinder Singh Sandhu (original name) has also represented Punjab in the Ranji Trophy matches during the 2005-06 season.

Having made his First-class debut against Hyderabad, Sandhu went on to play the subsequent matches against Uttar Pradesh and Baroda.

In the three First-class matches which Sandhu played as a right-arm fast-medium bowler, he picked 12 wickets at an average of 26, an economy rate of 3.35 and a strike rate of 46.5.

It was in 2012 that Sandhu made his debut as a singer with his single track titled ‘Tequila Shot’. The following month saw him releasing his second single track titled ‘Aashqui Te Loan’. Sandhu made his Bollywood debut with the song ‘Ki Kariye Nachna Aaonda Nahi’ from the movie ‘Tum Bin II’ (2016).

Much like many contemporary Punjabi singers, Sandhu went on to make his acting debut in Abhay Chabbra’s ‘Yaaran Da Ketchup’ (2014). Having also played the lead role in Gaurav Bavdankar’s ‘Mahi NRI’ (2017), Sandhu will be playing the role of Madan Lal in Kabir Khan’s ’83’.

Hardy Sandhu cricket career

In a recent interview, Sandhu opened up on sharing the dressing room with some of the regular members of the Indian cricket team. It is worth mentioning that it was an injury which put a halt to Sandhu’s career as a cricketer.

“I played for around ten years. I have played for the U19 cricket team with Shikhar Dhawan. He was my roommate, and I have also played with Cheteshwar Pujara and Ishant Sharma. But in 2006, I had an elbow injury. I was a fast bowler, and the injury was on my right arm. I tried to get treatment here, but kuch hua nahi [nothing happened],” Sandhu was quoted as saying in a recent interview.

Sandhu then moved to Australia in a bid to get his arm treated. However, destiny had some other plans for him which saw him transforming into a successful artist.

“I then decided to go to Australia to see good doctors and physiotherapists. I got a student visa and thought if my treatment is successful, I will come back to India and start playing again.

“Warna padhai karke, wahin settle ho jaunga [Else, I would study and settle there only]. I was there for 11 months and in that period, I met a lot of doctors, par kuch hua nahi. Wahan taxi bhi chalayi [I used to ride a taxi over there],” Sandhu said.