Hardik Pandya Shifts Base To Bengaluru, Makes BCCI COE Permanent Training Hub
Star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has shifted his base to Bengaluru with the aim of making the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) his permanent training hub for the remainder of his career , becoming the first prominent current India cricketer to take such a step.
The move is significant as centrally contracted Indian players generally visit the COE in Bengaluru only for injury rehabilitation, fitness assessments, return-to-play protocols, or national camps , rather than using it as a full-time training base.
Pandya, who hails from Baroda in Gujarat, has spent most of the past decade living in Mumbai and training primarily at the Mumbai Indians facility in Ghansoli , which serves as his IPL franchise’s training centre.
The 32-year-old all-rounder is currently recovering from a quadriceps injury and was ruled out of the ongoing white-ball tour of the United Kingdom. He has, however, spent considerable time at the COE over the last six months, especially during his rehabilitation and conditioning phase.
According to a BCCI source, Pandya has already shifted permanently to Bengaluru and has rented a property on the outskirts of the city, located close to the COE facility.
“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,” the source said on condition of anonymity.
The source added that Pandya’s decision was also influenced by the difficulty of daily commuting from his Lower Parel residence in Mumbai for training sessions. As a centrally contracted cricketer, he will now have full access to COE’s high-performance facilities , including injury management, rehabilitation support, and specialised skill training.
Pandya is also expected to work with his own physiotherapist and strength & conditioning coach , alongside COE experts, to maintain personalised training routines even outside official camps. He is understood to fund net bowlers for specific skill sessions himself.
It is further understood that he intends to continue playing white-ball cricket for India for at least another five to six years and will base himself in Bengaluru whenever he is not on IPL, state, or national duty.
His rehabilitation is still ongoing after a short personal break, and he is expected to return to the COE soon. However, his availability for the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe will depend on fitness clearance following return-to-play protocols.