The 23-year-old is already celebrating his second trophy with the Brazilians after playing a part in their 2-0 victory over Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
Ndlovu arrived at Chloorkop with questions surrounding his ability to secure regular playing time in a squad packed with quality players. However, rather than allowing the criticism to affect him negatively, the winger used it as motivation to compete for a place in the team.
His determination was rewarded in Durban, where he contributed to Sundowns' second goal after being brought down by Thapelo Mokobodi inside the penalty area, with the spot-kick being converted by Iqraam Rayners after Teboho Mokoena opening the scoring.
The triumph was particularly significant for Ndlovu, as it marked his first domestic title in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
Reflecting on the criticism that followed his arrival at Sundowns, the former Arrows player explained how it pushed him to raise his standards and prove that he deserved to be at the club.
"Those talks really pushed me to compete because Sundowns players have quality," Ndlovu said.
"I also had to pull up my socks in the right way so I could claim a position. I believe those talks helped me a lot."
Despite the pressure of joining one of South Africa's most competitive squads, Ndlovu also revealed that adapting to life at Sundowns was relatively straightforward.
He credited the similarities between the football played at his former club under coach Manqoba Mngqithi and Sundowns' approach for making the transition easier.
"I think adjusting at Sundowns was so easy for me because the football we played at Arrows under coach Manqoba is almost the same as Sundowns' style of play," Ndlovu stated.
"So, it made things easier for me to adjust."
Sundowns will now turn their attention to the Betway Premiership, where they face Richards Bay at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium on Tuesday.
Orlando Pirates captain Nkosinathi Sibisi has admitted that the Buccaneers face a painful week following their 2-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Thabo Cele believes his difficult departure from Kaizer Chiefs was worth enduring after making a promising start to life at Chloorkop, where he has already collected two trophies.
Orlando Pirates forward Ghampani Lungu has broken his silence following his costly penalty miss in the MTN8 final, thanking supporters for their encouragement after the Buccaneers suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns.
Kaizer Chiefs will be without four players when they host Stellenbosch FC in the Betway Premiership on Tuesday, with coach Fernando Da Cruz facing a selection headache ahead of the club's return to action.
