India star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has decided to make the Board of Control for Cricket in India Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru his permanent training base, becoming the first centrally contracted Indian cricketer to adopt the facility as his regular practice venue.

Under BCCI regulations, centrally contracted Indian players are required to report to the Centre of Excellence for injury rehabilitation, fitness assessments, and national training camps. However, Hardik has opted to stay in Bengaluru on a long-term basis and train regularly at the state-of-the-art facility until the end of his playing career.

The move will allow the 32-year-old all-rounder to make full use of the Centre of Excellence’s world-class infrastructure, including access to expert coaches, sports doctors, physiotherapists, trainers, and advanced rehabilitation facilities.

Although Hardik hails from Vadodara, he has spent much of the last decade living in Mumbai, where he trained at the practice facility of his IPL franchise, Mumbai Indians, located in Ghansoli. However, the daily commute from his residence in Lower Parel to the training ground reportedly became increasingly inconvenient, prompting him to relocate his training base to Bengaluru.

Hardik is expected to stay in Bengaluru whenever he is not on national duty or participating in the Indian Premier League.

The all-rounder is currently recovering from an injury and was not included in India’s squads for the upcoming white-ball series against Ireland and England. He has been undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence both before and after the IPL season as he works towards regaining full fitness.

With this decision, Hardik aims to ensure uninterrupted access to elite training and medical support, strengthening his preparations for a return to international cricket once he is declared fully fit.