Hardik Pandya has managed to hold on to team India vice-captain by the barest of margins in the Asia Cup 2023 squad announced by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel. Jasprit Bumrah, who was lauded for his leadership skills will play in the Continental Cup as a pacer.
The pacer shot into the limelight by leading an inexperienced team to two T20I wins. Calls to elevate Bumrah as the full-time vice-captain for whiteball teams were growing. However, the selectors thought that with the Asia Cup just less than 10 days away, they did not want to disrupt the team environment, and hence Pandya retained the vice-captaincy mantle.
According to an insightful report by The Times of India, the curtain is set to rise on a new leadership dynamic, as Jasprit Bumrah steps into the vice-captaincy shoes, replacing Hardik Pandya. The recent series against Ireland saw Bumrah donning the captain’s armband for the Indian side, while Hardik Pandya led Team India in the five-match T20I series, which concluded with a 3-2 loss.
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Speaking to TOI, a BCCI source explained that, Jasprit Bumrah‘s leadership seniority stands out, having led the Test team in 2022 and previously served as ODI vice-captain during the South Africa tour. His experience and past roles make him a natural choice for vice-captaincy, positioning him to support Rohit Sharma effectively in both the Asia Cup and World Cup campaigns.
“If you look in terms of leadership seniority, Bumrah is ahead of Pandya as he captained the Test team in 2022. He has also been ODI vice-captain before Pandya during the ODI tour of South Africa. Don’t be surprised if you see Bumrah being made an ODI deputy to Rohit for both Asia Cup and World Cup,” the source told TOI.
As the cricketing landscape brims with excitement, the journey for the Men in Blue kicks off in a high-stakes duel against arch-rivals Pakistan on September 2 at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy, marking the opening match of the Asia Cup 2023. Subsequently, the ODI World Cup journey commences on October 8, as India takes on Australia.
India Squad for Asia Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
