Hardik Pandya, India’s fast bowling all-rounder, is expected to succeed Rohit Sharma as India’s T20I captain after the latter declared his retirement from the shortest version of the game after winning the T20 World Cup 2024.
According to Indian media, Hardik Pandya would be recognized for his outstanding performance at the mega-event, while star bowler Jasprit Bumrah will be made vice-captain.
Pandya was important to India’s T20 World Cup victory, as the all-rounder bowled the last over against the South African team and defended the total. During the match, he also took out Heinrich Klaasen, who nearly cost the Men in Blue the game.
Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav were considered for the captaincy, but Pandya emerged as the choice and is expected to lead the squad in the forthcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka.
The idea is to give Hardik Pandya ample time and matches to prepare for the 2026 T20 World Cup, which will be held in India and Sri Lanka.
India is presently playing a five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, with Shubman Gill leading the squad. The series is now level 1-1 as the Blues rallied to win by 100 runs in the second Twenty20 International.
Earlier, Jay Shah, Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), revealed that Rohit will head the Indian cricket team in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 and Champions Trophy 2025.
Sharma recently broke India’s 11-year ICC trophy jinx by leading the Blues to a T20 World Cup victory over South Africa in a thrilling final in Bridgetown.
Sharma was named India’s captain in 2021 when Virat Kohli stepped down, and the Blues have since advanced to the WTC 2021-23 final and the ODI World Cup 2023 final, where they lost to Australia on both occasions.
“I am optimistic that under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, we will win the WTC Final and the Champions Trophy,” Shah stated in a video released by the BCCI.
