Hardik Pandya’s Leadership Future in Doubt as Suryakumar Yadav Gains T20 Captaincy Favor

Mumbai, 16th July 2024: Suryakumar Yadav, known for his dynamic batting, has emerged unexpectedly as a strong candidate to lead India’s T20 team until the 2026 World Cup, potentially surpassing Hardik Pandya, who was previously seen as the natural successor for the role.

Despite Pandya’s availability for the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka, recent developments indicate that Suryakumar, who led India in eight T20Is against Australia and South Africa last year, is the preferred choice of newly appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar.

The vacancy for the T20 captaincy arose after Rohit Sharma retired from international T20 cricket following India’s successful World Cup campaign in the West Indies last month. Pandya, instrumental in that victory, will miss the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka due to personal reasons.

The T20I series is slated for July 27 to 30 in Pallekele, followed by the ODIs from August 2 to 7 in Colombo. The squad announcement for this series is expected soon.

“Hardik Pandya was the vice-captain for T20 under Rohit Sharma. He is fully fit and available for the three-match T20I series and was expected to lead, but there is a strong sentiment that SKY could potentially lead not only for the Sri Lanka series but until the 2026 World Cup,” a senior BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.

“Hardik’s absence from ODIs is due to personal reasons. Contrary to media reports, there are no fitness concerns,” the official clarified.

Suryakumar, aged 33, is widely respected within the Indian cricket team. His rise in T20 cricket began during his tenure with the Kolkata Knight Riders, where Gautam Gambhir, under whom he played, bestowed upon him the nickname ‘SKY’.

While Hardik Pandya was initially viewed as the natural successor to Rohit Sharma, various factors have influenced the decision-making process. His underwhelming performance as captain of the Mumbai Indians and selectors’ reservations about allowing him to selectively participate in assignments have played roles in this decision.

The selectors are open to Pandya’s participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy this season to gain experience in the 50-over format.

Regarding the ODIs, an official confirmed that Pandya has requested leave and informed Rohit, who is also taking a break from this series. For the ODI series, KL Rahul, who led the team in the previous South Africa series, and Shubman Gill are frontrunners for the leadership role.

Focus on Domestic Cricket Availability

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah stressed the importance of star players participating in domestic tournaments when not engaged in national team duties. However, he noted exceptions for players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah.

The BCCI aims to have other Test specialists participate in one or two Duleep Trophy matches scheduled for August as preparation for the upcoming series against Bangladesh and New Zealand.

“This time, there will be no zonal selection committee for the Duleep Trophy. Only the national selection committee will pick the teams. All potential Test team members will be considered. For Rohit, Virat, and Bumrah, the decision to participate will be theirs,” the source added.