After Suryakumar Yadav was named India’s T20I captain for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, this decision has sparked debate among cricket fans and commentators. This comes as a surprise, as many expected Hardik Pandya, the former vice-captain, to take on the leadership role.
On this, former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif believes that the selection committee should have opted for Hardik’s experience instead of Suryakumar Yadav as a captain.
“Hardik has captained the Gujarat Titans for two years and in their first year itself, they made it to the final… Hardik has experience captaining the T20I side. He was also the vice-captain at the T20 World Cup. Now that a new coach has arrived, there will be new planning. Surya is also a good player. He is a No.1 T20 player (batsman). I hope he will shoulder the captain’s responsibility well. But I feel they should have backed Hardik,” Kaif said.
Kaif backs Pandya
“Gambhir is an experienced captain and coach… He understands cricket very well. I think ‘Hardik ne aisa koi galat kaam nhi kia k unko captaincy na mile’ (Hardik has not done anything wrong that he should not get the captaincy),” Kaif further said.
Kaif acknowledges Suryakumar Yadav’s talent and position as a top-ranked T20 batsman but feels Hardik deserved a chance based on his past leadership roles. He emphasises that Hardik hasn’t made any mistakes to warrant being overlooked for the captaincy. “Surya is also a good player…He is a No.1 T20I batter. I hope he will shoulder the captain’s responsibility well. But I feel they should have backed Hardik,” Kaif said.
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Hardik’s Captaincy Record
Kaif underlines Hardik’s impressive track record as captain: leading the Gujarat Titans to an IPL title and showcasing his ability to build a winning team with young players. He led them to victory in their debut season (2022) and a runner-up finish in 2023.
“He has experience, has captained in the IPL; and leading a new team (Gujarat Titans) to trophy, with fresh and young faces, is a huge thing. He has made the Titans win by working from zero in the IPL…I think he was entitled to the captaincy,” Kaif added.
Moving Forward with Surya
While Kaif expresses his opinion, India will be heading into the Sri Lanka series with Suryakumar Yadav as the leader. With a new coach onboard, it will be interesting to see how Yadav leads the team and establishes his captaincy style.
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