'Disappointed' Hardik Pandya hasn't stepped out of the house, says his father

What's the story?

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been passing through a rough phase of late. The flamboyant cricketer, along with his fellow teammate, KL Rahul, has been receiving a lot of flak from several quarters for his controversial comments while delivering a talk on a popular TV show.

Pandya, who was supposed to feature in the Indian squad in the ongoing ODI series against Australia, was called back home to face an inquiry by the cricket heads in the country. Meanwhile, it has been learned that the 25-year-old is 'disappointed' and has avoided stepping out of the house in the wake of the recent events.

In case you didn't know

Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul recently made their debut on the TV show, Koffee with Karan, where they shared numerous moments from their personal lives. However, a few comments made by the duo raked up a storm on social media and elsewhere. Labeled as "racist" and "misogynist", the comments landed the rising cricketers in troubled waters.

Apart from being slammed by fans and former cricketers, the young cricketers were also slapped with suspensions from a few tours. Despite issuing unconditional apologies, Pandya and Rahul will soon be coming under the scanner in an inquiry against them.

The heart of the matter

Talking to Mid-day, Hardik Pandya's father, Himanshu, revealed that his son watched India beat Australia in the second ODI at the Adelaide Oval while being confined to his Baroda home. "He watched the match. Ever since he has returned from Australia, he has not stepped out of the house. He is also not taking any calls... he is just taking rest," Himanshu was quoted as saying.

Pandya Sr also informed that while his younger son is fond of flying kites and had a chance to do the same this year, the celebrations were muted given the murky turn of the whole episode concerning him.

"He is very disappointed with the suspension and repents the views he expressed on the TV show. He is committed not to repeat the same mistake. We have decided not to talk to him on this subject. Even his elder brother Krunal has not discussed anything about the episode with him. We are waiting for the BCCI's decision," Pandya's father further revealed to the news daily.

Earlier, Himanshu had defended his under-fire son and said that the comments by Hardik Pandya were made in a light-hearted manner.

What's next?

Hardik Pandya is a vital cog in the Indian limited-overs setup. His prolonged absence is a definite dent to the preparations ahead of 2019 World Cup.