Former India opener Robin Uthappa has explained why Hardik Pandya should not be worried about losing India’s T20I captaincy to Suryakumar Yadav, who was named the new captain despite the star all-rounder serving as vice-captain in the T20 World Cup. Hardik was initially seen as the leading candidate to take over the T20I captaincy following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the format after the World Cup. The MI skipper was India’s T20I captain from December 2022 to October 2023, when Rohit did not play any T20I for India. However, new coach Gautam Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar sought a captain who could commit to all T20I matches, and their concerns about Hardik’s injury history influenced their decision to explore other options.
During a virtual interaction organized by Sony Sports Network, Uthappa elaborated on why this move could benefit Hardik and Indian cricket in the long run. “If I were in Hardik’s place, I would actually feel taken care of to a certain extent. Because within the Indian cricket ecosystem, a fast-bowling all-rounder is a very rare commodity,” Uthappa explained. He highlighted the significance of managing an injury-prone career, particularly for a player in his mid-thirties. “If I’m 34-35 years old and I’m someone who’s been injury-prone through my career and a certain responsibility has been taken away from me with the mindset of extending my career and giving me the best chance to offer my services to my country for as long as possible, keeping that in view, I would actually say OK this is the best thing for me.”
Uthappa acknowledged the honor associated with leading the national team but emphasized the broader goal of serving the country for an extended period. “Yes, leading India and leading a country is one of the greatest honors that any figure can ever imagine. I think, uh, the larger picture would be can I serve my country for as long as possible and win as many world championships for my country as long as possible.”
Why Hardik was denied India’s T20I captaincy
Reflecting on personal priorities, Uthappa shared, “If you asked me between the two what I would pick as a human being, I would say, serving my country and winning as many World Cup championships, irrespective of whether I was a captain or whether I was just a player.” Uthappa also provided insights into Hardik Pandya’s mindset, emphasizing Pandya’s dedication to the team’s success over personal accolades. “Knowing Hardik Pandya on a certain level, I would say he’d be someone saying it’s fine, their perspective is also right. They want a player of my quality and my caliber to be able to serve my country for as long as possible. And I would love to do that as well.”
The former KKR star also underscored his availability and readiness to step in whenever needed, particularly in white-ball cricket. “I would love to do that in the white format, which I’m currently available for. I can leave whenever, whenever required. God forbid if Suryakumar Yadav has an injury. I’m available, and I’m playing a bunch of tournaments. The need ever requires I will always be available to lead my country, but I would love to serve my country in white-ball cricket.” Uthappa concluded with a focus on future tournaments, reiterating his commitment to India’s success. “In defending the T20I championship in the next World Cup, contending for the Champions Trophy, and for the upcoming One Day World Cup.”
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