New Delhi: In a fresh set of controversies, Hardik Pandya’s captaincy has been dug out once again with a fresh new angle. The BCCI recently released the list of players who will be part of the Indian side that will travel to Sri Lanka for the upcoming tour.
See Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar, press conference here:
Post the release of the list, Hardik Pandya found the biggest shock of his life when he found the “C” written in front of Suryakumar Yadav’s name. Hardik who has been around with the national team for a long time was touted as the next T20I captain and take on the responsibilities from Rohit Sharma.
#HardikPandya, who failed to impress chief selector Ajit Agarkar with his captaincy skills, will have to prove his bowling fitness in Vijay Hazare Trophy to be considered for the Champions Trophy.https://t.co/eGnTO192P4
— Circle of Cricket (@circleofcricket) July 21, 2024
However, selectors as well as Gautam Gambhir have found the tactical stability and calmness that is required of an international captain. Furthermore, with a lot of personal hurdles that surround Hardik, it will be a miracle if things are reversed in favour of Hardik in the coming months.
Hardik failed to meet the demands of Ajit Agarkar
According to various reports, Hardik failed to convince chief selector Ajit Agarkar to hand him the mantle of captaincy in the shortest format. Moreover, with the coming of Gautam in the team as head coach, it was curtains down on the growing aspirations of the Mumbai Indians skipper.
If reports are to be believed, then both Gambhir and Agarkar felt that the youngster needs a bit of guidance and handholding when it comes to captaincy. While the tenure with Gujarat Titans saw Ashish Nehra taking the role of stabilising the ship, things have gone downhill for Mumbai Indians since Pandya took over the captaincy. There were visible gaps in Pandya’s captaincy which Mark Boucher was not able to fill.
Hardik Pandya after SKY got the captaincy#hardikpandaya #sky #SuryakumarYadav pic.twitter.com/8YbLinepV8
— Deepak Sehrawat (@DeepakSehrawatG) July 21, 2024
Subsequently, the next question in the barrel is what’s next for Hardik Pandya. Should he relinquish his dream of captaincy? Well, the answer is certainly not. A good domestic season added with some consistent international performances will most likely lead to his consideration for the job. With the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the upcoming tours lined up in the calendar, it is now or never for Pandya.
