Rashid Latif criticizes Gambhir and Agarkar's 'fitness excuse' for skipping Hardik Pandya as captain

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has joined a growing chorus of former cricketers questioning the decision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to appoint Suryakumar Yadav as India’s new T20I captain over Hardik Pandya. Despite Hardik’s impressive credentials, including leading the Gujarat Titans to an IPL title and serving as Rohit Sharma’s deputy during India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign, the BCCI opted for Suryakumar Yadav. This decision has sparked widespread debate within the cricketing community.

BCCI’s bold captaincy decision

The BCCI’s choice of Suryakumar Yadav as the new T20I captain came as a surprise to many, especially given Hardik Pandya’s leadership experience and success in the IPL. Hardik was widely expected to succeed Rohit Sharma as the T20I captain. However, chief selector Ajit Agarkar cited fitness concerns as the primary reason for preferring Suryakumar for the captaincy role. Agarkar’s statement has led to mixed reactions, with some agreeing with the focus on fitness and others questioning the justification.

“No, here they (the claims) just hand him a certificate saying he isn’t fit and there are concerns about his fitness. There are plenty of players who weren’t super fit but still became great captains. So, I think it was just an excuse. Because if Surya wasn’t around, then Rishabh (Pant) would have been the captain since you have to look at the future,” Latif said.

Additionally, Hardik Pandya lost his T20I vice-captaincy to the young and promising Shubman Gill. The selection committee explained that this decision was part of their strategy to groom young players for future leadership roles.

Rashid Latif’s criticism

Rashid Latif, known for his outspoken opinions, has openly criticized the BCCI’s reasoning. Latif dismissed the fitness concerns as mere excuses for bypassing Hardik Pandya for the captaincy. He argued that if fitness is genuinely an issue, the selectors should provide an unfit certificate for Hardik. Latif’s comments reflect a broader skepticism about the decision-making process within the BCCI.

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In a press conference held before India’s departure for the Sri Lanka tour, Ajit Agarkar addressed the media, reiterating that fitness played a significant role in the decision to appoint Suryakumar Yadav over Hardik Pandya.

“Hardik’s skill-sets are difficult to find and fitness is difficult to find. we have got a bit more time and we can look at a few things. Fitness was a clear challenge and we wanted someone who was likely to be available more often,” Agarkar said.

“We have taken general feedback from the dressing room also,” he added.

Despite this explanation, the debate continues, with many former players and fans expressing their dissatisfaction with the BCCI’s choice.