Since Hardik Pandya led the Gujarat Titans to the Indian Premier League title in his debut season, pundits have touted him as an ideal successor to Rohit Sharma in the short format.
After he beat Bangladesh 2-0 in his test series, his team India is ready for their next match. The Men In Blue will take on Sri Lanka in a three-game limited series starting with the T20s on January 3rd. All-rounder Hardik Pandya will take over as captain in the absence of seniors Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul.
Since leading the Gujarat Titans to the Indian Premier League title in his debut season, Pandya has been touted by pundits as an ideal replacement for Rohit in the short format. He also led India to a 1–0 victory over hosts New Zealand in November 2022.
Irfan Pathan is one of many players to admire Pandya’s leadership skills, but the former India international all-rounder was quick to point out Pandya’s big problem.
“As the captain Hardik took on, whether it was for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL or the starting lineup in India, I found communication to be very good. He was seen as very agile. ‘, said Pathan in an exchange with Star Sports.
“I was very impressed with his approach when I was told about his captain role, but India will focus a lot on his fitness if they make him captain in the long term. You have to remember that you need about him or team management. It will be very important to continue,” he added.
Pandya made a great return to cricket after spending a lot of time on the touchline due to a back injury.Even after his return, Pandya’s back continued to bother him.
But the good news is that all seems well for the all-rounder now that he excels in both divisions.
Interestingly, the Indian Cricket Control Board (BCCI) has appointed Pandya as vice-captain for his three-game ODI series against Sri Lanka. The ODI series will begin on January 10, immediately following the completion of T20Is.