Hardik Pandya has had a whirlwind six months. After enduring boos throughout the IPL 2024 and going through a high-profile divorce with Natasa Stankovic, it seemed like his cricket career was on shaky ground. However, redemption came in the T20 World Cup 2024, where Pandya played a crucial role in leading India to their second title.
Captaincy Hopes Dashed
There was considerable buzz that Pandya would take over as captain following Rohit Sharma’s retirement. Pandya, who had served as India’s vice-captain during the T20 World Cup, was seen as the natural successor.
However, in a surprising turn of events, Pandya’s captaincy hopes were dashed. Suryakumar Yadav emerged as the new T20I captain, and Pandya also lost his ODI vice-captaincy to Shubman Gill.
Fans were left wondering what led to this sudden shift. Some speculated that new head coach Gautam Gambhir might have influenced the decision. But BCCI’s chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, has clarified the situation.
Ajit Agarkar’s Support For Suryakumar Yadav
In a recent press conference, Agarkar provided insight into why Yadav was chosen as the captain over Pandya. He praised Yadav’s cricketing intelligence and his strong rapport with the team.
“Surya was made the captain because he is one of the deserving candidates,” Agarkar explained. “He’s been around the group over the last year, and we receive a lot of feedback from the dressing room. He has a good cricket brain and is one of the best T20 batters in the world.”
‘Hardik Pandya Is Not Fit’
Agarkar also addressed Pandya’s ongoing fitness issues, which have been a recurring challenge. “We want Hardik to be the player he can be because those skillsets are hard to find,” he mentioned.
“Fitness has been a challenge for him over the last few years. We need someone who is available more often. Surya has the qualities needed to succeed as a captain. This decision helps us manage Hardik’s workload better.”
Since early 2022, Pandya has only featured in 46 of India’s 79 T20Is. He suffered an ankle injury during the ODI World Cup last year and was out of action for a few months.
However, his impact in the T20 World Cup was undeniable. Pandya scored 144 runs at a blistering strike rate of 151.57 and took 11 wickets at an average of 17.36.
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