Hardik Pandya’s Captaincy Snub Explained by Former Sri Lanka Star

Post the 2024 T20 World Cup, where he served as vice-captain, Hardik Pandya was anticipated to take over the captaincy as Rohit Sharma announced his retirement.

Pandya has faced a challenging year since becoming the captain of the IPL side Mumbai Indians. After replacing Rohit Sharma as skipper, he was booed at most stadiums during the IPL 2024. Despite expectations to lead the T20 team after the T20 World Cup 2022, Rohit Sharma remained the captain for the 2024 edition. Following the 2024 T20 World Cup, with Rohit retiring, Pandya was again expected to assume the captaincy.

However, this did not materialize as Suryakumar Yadav was named the T20I captain for the Sri Lanka Tour. BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar attributed this decision to Pandya’s recurring injury issues.

Former Sri Lanka player Russell Arnold provided further insight into the situation. He noted the exceptional talents of both players, highlighting Suryakumar Yadav’s prowess as one of the best T20 batters. Arnold suggested that Pandya’s inability to garner widespread respect during the IPL season might have influenced the BCCI’s decision.

Arnold commented, “With how the IPL went and Hardik couldn’t really gain the respect of everyone around him, it might have prompted the BCCI to look in a different direction