Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar has found all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s sudden removal from the leadership positions troubling as BCCI announced the squad for Sri Lanka tour. Notably, the selectors appointed Shubman Gill as the new vice captain of the team in both white-ball formats and appointed Suryakumar Yadav as the new T20I skipper.
The decision came as a surprise to many as Pandya was expected to take over the leadership duties after Rohit Sharma’s retirement having previously led the team in his absence since 2022. Commenting on the development, Bangar expressed surprise at Pandya’s appointment saying that he would’ve been appointed as the skipper in T20 World Cup had he not been injured in the ODI World Cup.
“I am a bit surprised as far as Hardik not being the captain of the T20 team is concerned because even before the previous T20 World Cup it seemed like if Rohit hadn’t become the captain and Hardik hadn’t gotten injured at that time, Hardik only would have become the captain,” Bangar said on Star Sports.
Further speaking ahead, Bangar called the decision in a backwards direction terming it as ‘troubling’ for the team.
“The Indian team had started going in that direction. The selectors had also found that path. I find this sudden U-turn slightly troubling. We have certainly read that the chairman of the selection committee and the coach have spoken to Hardik Pandya,” he added.
Notably, Pandya made his captaincy debut for India in June 2022 on the tour to Ireland and further captained the side in the shortest format after India’s T20 World Cup 2022 exit. However, following his injury in the ODI World Cup 2023, Suryakumar Yadav was appointed as the skipper for the home series against Australia and the away series against South Africa.
Pandya’s dream run in T20 World Cup 2024
Pandya finally made a comeback in the T20 World Cup 2024 and played a pivotal role in India’s victorious campaign with both bat and ball. He scored144 runs from six innings at an average of 48 and a strike rate of 151.57 registering one half-century. His highest score of the tournament came against Bangladesh in the Super 8 stages when he scored an unbeaten 50* (27).
With the ball, the right-arm seamer picked up 11 wickets from eight innings at an average of 17.36 and an economy of 7.64. The 30-year-old saved his best bowling performance for the final picking up 3/20 in three overs which included the prized scalps of Heinrich Klaasen (52 off 27) and David Miller(21 off 17).
He defended 16 runs of the final over by dismissing Miller on the very first ball courtesy of a breathtaking catch by Suryakumar Yadav and set up a seven-run win for India.