New Delhi: As the race for India’s T20I captaincy intensifies ahead of the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, the saga has a new twist. Suryakumar Yadav has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Rohit Sharma as the long-term captain in T20Is and might pip Hardik Pandya for the coveted position. The T20 specialist reportedly also has the backing of new India head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Hardik was the favourite to take over the reins from Rohit, who retired from T20Is after leading India to glory in the T20 World Cup 2024 last month. The all-rounder was leading India in T20Is before Rohit’s comeback in the shortest format earlier this year and was also appointed as the vice-captain of the team that won the T20 World Cup.
However, as per reports, the selectors and the team management are unsure about appointing Hardik due to his poor injury record. Suraykumar is being touted as a long-term captain and has also got Agarkar and Gambhir’s backing. The chief selector and the India head coach reportedly held a conversation with Hardik on Tuesday to explain their decision.
Suryakumar is one of the best batters in T20Is in the world at present and has also got some captaincy experience behind his back having led India in 7 T20Is last year. However, he has yet to prove his credentials as captain and might not be the best choice for captaincy.
Why Suryakumar Yadav might not be the right choice for T20I captaincy?
1) Lack of experience
Suryakumar Yadav is 33 and is not getting any younger. He might be one of India’s most consistent performers in T20Is but has no significant experience as captain. Suryakumar is yet to prove his leadership credentials and has no achievement which proves he can be the ideal choice for India going forward.
Suryakumar has been part of the Mumbai Indians dressing room for ten seasons in the IPL and has not captained the side in a single game. Interestingly, the franchise bought back Hardik Pandya from Gujarat Titans to replace Rohit as captain of the franchise last season despite having Suryakumar in their ranks.
Suryakumar has captained Mumbai in the domestic circuit and led India to a 4-1 series win against a second-string Australian side last year followed by a 1-1 result in a T20I series against South Africa. The lack of a proven leader at the helm might come back to haunt India later.
2) Best player is not always the best captain
The best player in the team might not be the best choice for captaincy solely based on individual performances. Suryakumar is arguably the best batter in the side but might not be the best choice for captaincy. There are multiple examples of the best players in the team failing to live up to the expectations when it comes to captaincy.
Hardik, on the other hand, has already showcased what he is capable of with his former IPL team Gujarat Titans and Team India. The star all-rounder led GT to their maiden IPL title in the debut season and helped them make it to back-to-back finals, missing out on a second successive title by the barest of margins.
He might have struggled in his debut season as the captain of Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024, but the all-rounder showed his strong character by bouncing back in style during the T20 World Cup 2024. Barring his fitness issues, Hardik has done enough to prove he deserves to lead the team in the shortest format.
3) Split captaincy in white-ball cricket?
The BCCI has always maintained that their preference is to have the same captain leading the team both in ODIs and T20Is. However, that might not be the case if Suryakumar is appointed as captain in T20Is. He has a dubious record in ODIs and is yet to prove his credentials in the fifty-over format. His place in the ODI side is uncertain, let alone captaincy.
Hardik, on the other hand, could have been a genuine contender to lead India in ODIs after Rohit if he managed to do well in T20Is. However, India won’t get the same luxury with Suryakumar. And if Suryakumar’s appointment is a long term one as being highlighted, it might lead to split captaincy in the long term.
Suryakumar Yadav is reportedly set to pip Hardik Pandya in the race to become India’s new T20I captain after Rohit Sharma’s retirement. Suryakumar might be one of the best batters in T20Is at present but is yet to prove his captaincy credentials. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
