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Hardik Pandya is set to become the new T20 captain of India and will continue leading the Mumbai Indians next season. Sources from CricBlogger reveal that both the national selectors and his IPL franchise promoters are convinced that Hardik is the best candidate to take over the T20 captaincy from Rohit Sharma, who vacated the post after winning the T20 World Cup last month.
The board officials made it clear that the selectors would take the call on the new T20 captain while announcing Rohit Sharma would be leading India in the 2025 Champions Trophy. Rohit would also continue to lead India in Test matches. However, sources stated that Hardik had been leading the side in Rohit’s absence after the 2022 T20 World Cup loss to England in the semifinal.
Rohit’s exceptional performance as a batter and leader in the 2023 World Cup at home instilled confidence in the team and the system, proving that India could still win the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies. This belief was justified as India successfully held their nerves to clinch the title.
There were initial concerns about Hardik Pandya’s fitness and his ability to bowl, which was a significant issue for the team. However, both Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid were clear that as long as Hardik could bowl even occasionally, it would be sufficient for him to be included in the playing XI.
Those who initially criticized Hardik Pandya later became his supporters, chanting his name during the historic victory parade in South Mumbai. With Hardik as the T20 captain, the team might also see Surya Kumar Yadav as the new vice-captain. Although Rishabh Pant is a potential candidate for a white-ball captaincy role, it depends on how the younger players perform in pressure situations. Emerging talents like Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Axar Patel are expected to be key members of Hardik’s team.
