Kapil Dev the great former captain who led India to World Cup glory in 1983 has also been vocally backing Hardik Pandya as the next Indian captain in both ODIs and T20Is. With Rohit Sharma retiring from T20Is and the end of his career also drawing near the issue of who the next leader will be has become highly relevant. Although Suryakumar Yadav has taken over as the T20I captain Pandya remains an effective contender for both formats.

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Kapil Dev speaking during a PGTI pro-am tournament, stated that he believes Pandya is the top choice for the white-ball captaincy. He added that Pandya has showed leadership skills in spite of having some mixed reactions towards his captaincy in the IPL. He took Gujarat Titans to the IPL championship in 2022 and had another good year in 2023, which is evidence enough of his abilities. Kapil feels that Pandya is young enough to guide India in future ICC events and establish a strong team for the future.

The Need for Split Captaincy

Kapil Dev also pointed out a major aspect about Pandya's participation in Test cricket. Though Pandya is a vital cog in India's white-ball set-up, he has not played Test cricket for more than six years and is not even taking part in domestic red-ball competitions. This, in Kapil's view, implies that India might have to follow a split-captaincy approach with different captains for ODIs, T20Is, and Tests.

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Pandya's captaincy journey has also been full of highs and lows, with an uneven season as Mumbai Indians captain in 2024, which saw them take last place in the table. Yet, his shining performance with India's win in the 2024 T20 World Cup has revived the hope of captaincy for Pandya. Kapil's blessing for Pandya can now hold a key in deciding the leadership future of Indian cricket.

Joe Root has confirmed he is not in the running to become England’s next white-ball captain following Jos Buttler’s resignation after the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The 34-year-old batter, who led England’s Test team from 2017 to 2022, stated that his time as captain is over.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Root said, “I think that ship has sailed. I’ve done my time as a captain in an England shirt. I’m sure whoever gets the opportunity will be extremely proud and do a brilliant job.”

While Root never captained England in limited-overs formats, he returned to the ODI side this year and finished as one of the top performers in the Champions Trophy. He was England’s leading batter in the tournament, finishing as the fourth-highest run-scorer overall, and nearly took his team over the line in their final match against Afghanistan with a gritty century.

Despite his personal success, England endured a disappointing campaign, failing to reach the semifinals. Jos Buttler stepped down as captain shortly before their final group game against South Africa. Since then, England has yet to announce a new leader for the ODI side.

Among the contenders, vice-captain Harry Brook is currently seen as the front-runner. However, managing director Rob Key has hinted that Ben Stokes could be considered for the white-ball captaincy, potentially uniting both red and white-ball leadership under one figure. Brendon McCullum has not ruled out the option of having separate captains for ODIs and T20Is.

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Root acknowledged England’s recent struggles but remains confident in the squad’s potential. “We didn’t play anywhere near what we’re capable of. But there’s so much talent and so much more to come. This is a good opportunity to reset and move forward as a group.”

Despite not being a regular in England’s T20I squad since 2019, Root's form in franchise cricket has drawn attention. He impressed in this year’s SA20 tournament with the Paarl Royals, scoring 279 runs at an average of 55.80 and a strike rate of 140.20.

Looking ahead, Root turned his focus to the upcoming Test summer, starting with a five-match series against India at home from June 20. The series will kick off the new cycle of the World Test Championship.

“India coming over means there’s no hiding place. It’s a long series, and we’ll need to deliver match-winning performances consistently,” Root said.

With Root stepping aside from the leadership conversation, England’s white-ball future now rests on the next generation to take the team forward.

Faisalabad's Iqbal Stadium will host an international game for the first time in 17 years. The city's old stadium will host May 2025 white-ball series between Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is a great moment for Faisalabad because international cricket was not being organized there for several years.

The match will be One Day International - Wikipedia and T20 between Pakistan and Bangladesh and will be held in three cities, Faisalabad, Lahore, and Multan. The competitions will feature the best of both teams with heart-stopping cricketing action for the spectators.

Faisalabad's Iqbal Stadium is famous for its cricket-loving supporters and will have an electric feel when it will host the eagerly awaited international game. The stadium has hosted various domestic games previously, but it had been nearly a decade since an international-grade game was planned there last in 2008. Now after nearly two decades, the stadium gates will once again open up for international cricketers and spectators.

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Lahore and Multan will be equally crucial centers in this series. Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium and Multan's Multan Cricket Stadium are among the best grounds of Pakistan, and they have hosted more than enough wonderful cricket matches already. The white-ball series will be a grand spectacle for all three cities, as the crowd will get to see their home teams play at home.

This Bangladesh-Pakistan tournament will be significant for both sides as they build momentum for the future international tournaments. It is also the perfect time for cricket fans in these cities to witness good cricket firsthand.

Overall, this is a big win for cricket fans in Multan, Lahore, and Faisalabad, and something to look forward to for the sport of cricket in Pakistan.