Hardik Pandya, who was recently the vice-captain of the Indian cricket team and poised to take over after Rohit Sharma’s retirement, has been sidelined from the leadership group. The shift occurred after Gautam Gambhir succeeded Rahul Dravid as head coach, with Suryakumar Yadav being named the new captain and Shubman Gill as his deputy.
According to former Sri Lankan cricketer Russell Arnold, Hardik’s poor performance as captain of the Mumbai Indians in the IPL, where they finished at the bottom of the table, contributed to this decision. Arnold stated, “I reckon with how the IPL went and whereas Hardik couldn’t really gain the respect of everyone around him, might have prompted BCCI to look in a different direction.”
The controversial nature of Hardik’s appointment, replacing Rohit Sharma, also led to fan backlash. “The unceremonious removal of Rohit Sharma from the role didn’t sit well with a majority of MI fans, who showed their disapproval clearly by booing Hardik in most of the side’s home matches,” Arnold explained.
The Suryakumar-Gambhir era for India’s T20 team will begin on July 27 against Sri Lanka, with Hardik retaining his place in the XI. Arnold emphasized, “It’s about getting everyone to gel and keeping everyone calm and happy so that you can pull in the one direction. I’m not saying that wouldn’t have happened under Hardik, but I guess, at this particular moment, it was a good opportunity and it’s a great opportunity for Suryakumar to showcase what he can do and make it his own.”
This decision marks a significant shift as Team India enters a transitional phase, looking towards the next World Cup in 2026.
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