Hardik Pandya has been a standout performer for India, establishing himself as the country’s best seam-bowling all-rounder. His prowess with both bat and ball made him a prime candidate to succeed Rohit Sharma as India’s white-ball skipper. Having captained India in 19 matches between June 2022 and August 2023, achieving 12 wins, he was seen as the future leader for the 2024 T20 World Cup. However, things took a different turn as Rohit Sharma returned, leading India to a World Cup victory. Despite his credentials, Pandya has now found himself out of favor, with Suryakumar Yadav being preferred as the T20I captain for the Sri Lanka tour.

How Hardik Pandya fell out of favor

Hardik Pandya’s exclusion from the captaincy role was not due to his performance, which remained consistently strong. Instead, his fitness issues played a significant role in the decision. Pandya’s injury history, including a serious ankle injury during the ODI World Cup group stage match against New Zealand, raised concerns among the selectors and the board. This injury sidelined him for five months, adding to his history of back problems that had previously kept him from bowling for extended periods.

With the T20 World Cup just six months away, the selectors were hesitant to pick Pandya as the captain, fearing his fitness might not hold up. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma, who had the desire to pursue another ICC title, was chosen over Pandya. Head coach Rahul Dravid, persuaded to stay on till the T20 World Cup, supported Rohit’s leadership.

Pandya’s poor performance in the IPL further dented his prospects. His leadership and on-field performance failed to inspire confidence, and there were reports that he struggled to win over the dressing room at Mumbai Indians (MI). This lack of trust was echoed by a BCCI official who mentioned that Pandya “couldn’t be trusted to rally the national team together.”

Indian players prefer Surya

The decision to appoint Suryakumar Yadav as the T20I captain was influenced by several factors, including player feedback. Despite Pandya’s strong credentials, the players expressed a preference for Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership. His calm approach and effective communication skills impressed the team during last year’s home series against Australia and the South Africa tour. Players felt more comfortable and trusted Surya’s leadership style, which was reminiscent of Rohit Sharma’s emphasis on one-to-one communication.

Pandya’s request for a break from the Sri Lanka ODIs due to personal issues also validated the concerns regarding his workload management. New head coach Gautam Gambhir, seeking stability, did not support a captain whose workload needed constant monitoring. Gambhir, along with chief selector Ajit Agarkar, played crucial roles in the decision to appoint Suryakumar Yadav as the new T20I captain. Despite some opposition within the board, the combined views of Gambhir and Agarkar became the decisive factor in preferring Suryakumar’s leadership over Pandya’s.

See Also: Suryakumar Yadav appointed as new T20I captain for India’s tour of Sri Lanka – Cricket Winner

In conclusion, while Hardik Pandya remains a valuable player, fitness concerns and a preference for Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership style have led to a significant shift in India’s T20I captaincy, marking a new chapter for the team post-Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli era.