Hardik Pandya being snubbed for India’s T20I captaincy was perhaps one of the most talked about points after the T20 World Cup 2024 win. Rohit Sharma retired from the format along with Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja after the title win.
And with a new head coach Gautam Gambhir coming in as well, many thought Hardik Pandya, who was India's vice-captain in the T20 World Cup 2024 win, would automatically become the T20I captain after Rohit Sharma.
However, the BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar shocked everyone by announcing Suryakumar Yadav as the new T20I captain. Not only this, but Hardik Pandya also lost his vice-captaincy in both white-ball formats, with Shubman Gill being named deputy in ODIs and T20Is.
There was much upheaval about the decision, with Agarkar explaining that they needed a captain who could play all the games and whose workload shouldn’t be managed. Hardik Pandya requires management due to being injury prone including a back issue for which he underwent surgery.
And BCCI’s decision to not name Hardik Pandya captain received support from former New Zealand cricketer Scott Styris, who said additional responsibility might have affected his fitness and form.
"I wouldn't have personally made Hardik Pandya my captain either. I think that's a smart choice solely for one reason, and that is as an all-rounder. Skills-wise, he is India's best all-rounder. He is phenomenal. But you want him to be consistently fit," Styris told News18.
Pandya's recurrent injuries and the physical demands of bowling are factors contributing to Styris' assessment.
"At the moment, how he's in and out with his injuries, you know, bowling is really hard. It takes a lot out of you and your body. So sometimes, adding all the responsibility of captaincy is not necessarily a good thing because there's just too much to do. I'd love to see Hardik Pandya just concentrate on getting those skills right, batting and bowling. And then you can look at captaincy a little bit later," explained Styris.
Styris also stressed Pandya's importance as a bowler, particularly given the fitness issues around important pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami. Pandya's contribution as a sixth bowler might prove essential to the team.
"These fast bowling stocks are the one area where India probably needs a little bit more help, which is why I like the selection of these youngsters. Anytime Bumrah is not here, your team is going to be weaker. He's as good as anyone who's ever played the game, especially the white ball. So the decision to give him a rest, you understand. You've got to make sure that he's fresh and ready for some of the other challenges that India has in front of them," Styris added.
"You want more out of Hardik Pandya. That's why I like the decision not to make him captain because I really want to see him stand up with a dominant role with the ball more than anything," he concluded.
Experts such as Styris appear to agree that Hardik Pandya should focus on his all-round ability and fitness. This would allow him to contribute successfully without the additional responsibility of captaincy.
