IND vs ENG T20 Series / Hardik Pandya did not get captaincy, he got this responsibility in Team India

The 5-match T20 series between India and England is going to start from January 22. In this series, Team India will be captained by Suryakumar Yadav, while Akshar Patel is the vice-captain. Hardik Pandya is a part of the team, but he has not been given any responsibility. Suryakumar gave a big statement on this, saying that Hardik is a part of the leadership group.

Vikrant Shekhawat : Jan 21, 2025, 10:20 PM
IND vs ENG T20 Series: The 5-match T20 series between India and England is going to start from January 22. In this series, the command of the Indian team is in the hands of Suryakumar Yadav, while Axar Patel has been made the vice-captain. The special thing is that Hardik Pandya is also a part of this team, but he has not been entrusted with the burden of any responsibility. This situation gives rise to many questions, as Hardik Pandya was the captain of the Indian team since the 2022 T20 World Cup. However, Suryakumar has been made the captain after Rohit Sharma retired from T20 International.

Hardik Pandya was once seen as a strong contender to become the captain of T20 cricket, but now he has not even been given the responsibility of vice-captain. Many cricket experts and veterans have raised questions on this. However, Suryakumar Yadav has given a big statement on this issue.

Suryakumar Yadav's statement on Hardik Pandya

Suryakumar Yadav said in the press conference held before the start of the series against England, "My relationship with Hardik is really very good. This is just the additional responsibility that I have got. Hardik is part of the leadership group and we are good friends." He made it clear through this statement that he himself rejects the rumors of ignoring Hardik Pandya as captain. Surya also said that Hardik Pandya is part of the leadership group of the Indian team and his role is very important for the team.

Questions on the possibility of Hardik Pandya becoming the captain

For some time now, Hardik Pandya was not only the captain of the T20 team, but was also the vice-captain of the Indian team in the ODI World Cup 2023. However, Shubman Gill was made Rohit Sharma's deputy for the Champions Trophy, which raised the question whether Hardik Pandya is no longer a part of the leadership group of the Indian team? In this context, Suryakumar Yadav made it clear that Hardik Pandya has an important place within the team, and he is still part of the leadership group.

Hardik Pandya's captaincy statistics

Hardik Pandya has captained the Indian team in 16 T20 matches so far. During this, India has won 11 matches and lost five matches. However, Hardik Pandya was relieved of the captaincy after Rohit Sharma returned to the Indian team ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup. Hardik has not been given the responsibility of captaincy since then, and this is why this change has raised many questions.

Conclusion

The role of leadership has always been important in Indian cricket, and this statement of Suryakumar Yadav makes it clear that Hardik Pandya's role is still important, even if he has not been given the responsibility of captaincy. This series is a new beginning for the Indian team, and under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, Team India is ready to prove its strength against England.