Hardik Pandya presents signed jersey to Kranti Gaud at BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru
On August 18, 2026, India women's cricketer Kranti Gaud met India all-rounder Hardik Pandya at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where Pandya presented her with a signed jersey and joined in birthday celebrations.
Kranti shared photographs of the encounter on Instagram and wrote, "Thank you so much bhaiya." She has previously spoken publicly about Pandya's role in her development, saying in a video earlier this year, "Hardik Pandya has been my idol. I want to be a cricketer like him," and has described him as one of her biggest inspirations.
Kranti's admiration for Pandya drew widespread attention after India's World Cup triumph, when she recreated his trademark victory celebration on the pitch. She placed the trophy on the ground before copying Pandya's celebration and went viral after striking his famous victory pose moments after India lifted the ICC World Cup trophy.
The viral celebration underlined the influence Pandya has had on Kranti's public image; she has said she has looked up to his aggressive and fearless style of cricket since her early days. Her meeting with Pandya at the Bengaluru centre was described in coverage as bringing that admiration full circle.
The signed jersey provides Kranti with a personal memento from the player she has repeatedly credited as an inspiration for her career. The meeting and the social media reaction came as Kranti continues to develop as a young India cricketer.
The interaction at the BCCI facility arrives at an important stage in Kranti's progress; from playing cricket in the lanes of her hometown to making her mark at the international level, her journey has continued to gather attention.
