Hardik Pandya led India in 16 T20Is before chairman of the selection committee Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir picked Suryakumar Yadav to lead the Men in Blue in the shortest format.
Hardik Pandya led India in 16 T20Is before the Chairman of the selection committee, Ajit Agarkar, and the Head Coach, Gautam Gambhir, picked Suryakumar Yadav to lead the Men in Blue in the shortest format. The Baroda all-rounder established himself as a commendable leader in 2022 when he led Gujarat Titans to the Indian Premier League (IPL) title in the franchise’s debut season. This was also Hardik’s maiden stint as an IPL captain. He led the Titans to the finals in the following season as well.
India also won 11 out of the 16 T20Is in which Hardik was in charge. He was the vice-captain of the Indian team which won the T20 World Cup last year. However, in the ongoing T20I series against England, Axar Patel has been given that responsibility.
Sanjay Manjrekar feels that if Hardik Pandya can show the hunger to play domestic cricket consistently, he could get back into the captaincy discussion. Also, the former India cricketer feels that a change in BCCI’s selection committee could work in favour of Hardik.
“The dynamics of Indian cricket can change with new management in the BCCI or the selection committee. Everyone has a unique approach. For Pandya, the key will be to show his willingness to play consistently. He hardly plays first-class cricket, but if he starts doing so, it will strengthen his case,” Manjrekar was quoted as saying Star Sports’ programme ‘Deep Point’.
Pandya has always been good at ICC tournaments: Manjrekar
Furthermore, Sanjay Manjrekar recalled the 31-year-old’s excellent contributions in the ICC events over the years. He highlighted the 31-year-old’s performances during the 2019 ODI World Cup, saying that he was India’s go-to bowler in the 10-team tournament. Besides, the cricketer-turned-commentator also spoke about the workload of a fast-bowling all-rounder in ODI cricket. Manjrekar explained how important Hardik’s fitness will be in determining his effectiveness in the Champions Trophy 2025.
“Pandya has always been good at ICC tournaments. Not many people remember that during the 2019 World Cup, Hardik was India’s go-to bowler on those pitches,” the former Indian cricketer remarked.
“You have to run a lot, especially in the middle overs. T20 brings a different set of pressures, but the physical demands in ODIs are much higher-especially for an all-rounder who bowls 7-10 overs and then bats at No. 5 or 6. Physical fitness is crucial,” Manjrekar concluded.
