Mumbai, India — Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya recently shared a humorous story from the early days of his Indian Premier League (IPL) career, recalling how former Australia captain Ricky Ponting once played a memorable prank on him involving Man of the Match prize money.
Pandya revealed the story during a panel discussion hosted by cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle, where he appeared alongside fellow IPL stars including Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma.
The Man of the Match Confusion
Pandya explained that the incident took place during his early IPL seasons when he was still new to the league and playing on a relatively small contract.
After winning a couple of Man of the Match awards, Pandya said Ponting jokingly told him that the prize money would go directly to him.
“I got excited because I had won my first couple of Man of the Match awards, and at that time I was on a 10 lakh contract,” Pandya recalled.
Believing the prize money was entirely his, Pandya said he immediately began calculating how he would spend the extra earnings.
The Surprise Reality
However, the excitement didn’t last long. Pandya soon discovered that the Man of the Match reward wasn’t entirely his to keep.
In many IPL teams, such bonuses are shared within the squad or managed through team arrangements.
“Later I got to know that the money actually gets divided among the group,” Pandya said with a laugh.
That’s when he realized Ponting had been joking with him.
Early Lessons in the IPL
The light-hearted moment highlights how young players often learn the culture of professional cricket through experiences inside the dressing room.
For Pandya, the prank became a funny memory from the beginning of a career that later saw him become one of India’s leading all-rounders and a successful IPL captain.
A Dressing Room Full of Stories
IPL dressing rooms are known not only for intense competition but also for camaraderie and humor among teammates from different countries and cultures.
Stories like Pandya’s reveal the lighter side of the league, where senior players often mentor younger teammates while also sharing jokes and pranks.
As the IPL continues to grow in popularity, these behind-the-scenes moments offer fans a glimpse into the personalities and friendships that shape the tournament beyond the cricket field.
