Hardik Pandya became the captain of Mumbai Indians after leading Gujarat Titans to the title in the first season and to the final in the second. Rohit Sharma was replaced and Pandya was appointed. This drew a lot of criticism from the fans. Pandya was abused and booed wherever he went. Moreover, fans felt even if Rohit Sharma was to be replaced, Suryakumar Yadav or Jasprit Bumrah could have been the better choice.
Pandya was the designated vice-captain of the T20I team and the ODI team when Rohit Sharma was the captain. However, after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from T20Is after the T20 World Cup 2024, many thought that Hardik Pandya will be the natural captain. However, India have announced Suryakumar Yadav as the captain of the T20I team against Sri Lanka and Shubman Gill as the vice-captain. Pandya has been ignored because of his fitness issues.
Here Is Why Hardik Pandya Was Not Picked As The T20I Captain
This came as a big blow to Pandya who already has been facing a lot of issues in the last few months. However, he gave his all to help India win the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Now, the question arises: Will Mumbai Indians stay with Hardik Pandya at the helm for one more season?
Sharma has put himself in a position that is par with MS Dhoni. Now, what will Mumbai Indians do next season? Will Rohit Sharma be retained. Additionally, Suryakumar Yadav, the designated T20I captain for India is also present in the MI squad. Moreover, Jasprit Bumrah, the senior pro is also a contender. India’s new head coach, Gautam Gambhir, and the chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, has felt that Pandya is not as tactical as needed to be captain in international cricket. The road is quite tough for the Indian all-rounder. He needs to play in domestic cricket to remain fit for international games. Now, it remains to be seen what happens to the captaincy ambitions of Pandya.
