Hardik Pandya flies kites with girlfriend Mahieka Sharma on Makar Sankranti

Published - 15 Jan 2026, 13:36 IST | Updated - 15 Jan 2026, 14:06 IST

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya recently grabbed headlines on Makar Sankranti, as he was seen flying kites with girlfriend Mahieka Sharma in Jaipur. The clip also triggered discussions around Pandya’s fitness and his absence from India’s ongoing ODI series against New Zealand, even as he remains part of India’s T20 World Cup 2026 plans.

Hardik was seen celebrating the festival alongside Mahieka. Notably, their public appearances in recent months have repeatedly grabbed attention. Meanwhile, in the viral clip, Hardik was seen preparing his kite, carefully tying the bridle before flying it high into the sky. He wore a white T-shirt and black jeans, while Mahieka was seen in a black outfit. Notably, the cricketer had white protective tape on his fingers to avoid cuts from kite strings.

Hardik Pandya flying kites.Hardik Pandya with his girlfriend Mahieka Sharma enjoying the kite festival in Jaipur 😂🪁

Hardik Pandya flying kites.Hardik Pandya with his girlfriend Mahieka Sharma enjoying the kite festival in Jaipur 😂🪁

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The all-rounder was left out of India’s ODI squad for the New Zealand series after the Centre of Excellence did not clear him to bowl a full 10-over spell consistently. While Pandya did bowl his quota in domestic cricket, the team management opted not to risk him in the 50-over format, prioritising workload management. Playing against Chandigarh, Hardik smashed a 31-ball 75, and with the ball, he finished with returning figures of 3/66. The all-rounder also scored a century against Vidarbha. Despite the ODI exclusion, Pandya is part of India’s T20 plans. He is expected to feature in the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand.