New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the team for the white ball series against Sri Lanka on July 18, Thursday. Rohit Sharma will lead the Men in Blue in the ODI series and Suryakumar Yadav appointed as the new captain of the T20Is.
Earlier, it was reported that the new head coach wants Suryakumar Yadav to lead the T20I side instead of Hardik because of the all-rounder’s inconsistent fitness record. Hardik was Team India’s vice-captain in the T20 World Cup and also led the side in Rohit Sharma’s absence.
He captained India in 16 T20Is and three ODIs from June 2022 to August 2023 and was the main contender to lead the team after Rohit Sharma. But after his retirement, Gambhir and selectors picked Suryakumar as the captain and named Shubman Gill as the vice-captain.
Why didn’t BCCI appoint Hardik as T20I captain?
The all-rounder suffered many serious injuries in the past. During India’s group-stage match, he twisted his ankle and was ruled out of the ODI World Cup 2023. He was out of the action for five to six months and made his comeback in the IPL.
He also had major back issues in the past which prevented him from bowling for a couple of years. Hardik also had a poor IPL campaign as a player and captain. His leadership skills in the IPL didn’t give much confidence to BCCI officials.
“He could never win the dressing room at MI and many felt he couldn’t be trusted to rally the national team together,” a BCCI official told Hindustan Times.
Hardik had the backing of Rohit and Rahul Dravid to lead India in the shortest format but both of them are out from the T20I scheme of things and Gambhir wants stability in the leadership.
As per many reports, BCCI also received feedback from players and they preferred Suryakumar over Hardik. The report also stated that the players are more comfortable working under Suryakumar and trust him more than Hardik.
Know why BCCI snubbed Hardik Pandya and appointed Suryakumar Yadav as the new captain of T20Is. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
