After leading Gujarat Titans to an Indian Premier League victory, all-rounder Hardik Pandya is being nominated as India’s next captain.
After leading an underdog debut team to victory in the world’s most prestigious cricket competition, all-rounder Hardik Pandya is being projected as India’s future captain. He took three wickets and scored 34 runs as Pandya’s Gujarat Titans beat the Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in the Indian Premier League final on Sunday in front of over 105,000 people at the world’s largest cricket ground.
There had been skepticism about Pandya as captain and the team’s purchase of players in the auction. The expansion franchise’s inaugural season was predicted to be a disaster by the commentators.
In his first leadership post, the 28-year-old, a flamboyant cricketer who likes his tattoos and fine watches, and who was once reprimanded for sexist comments on a television show, has become a revelation.
He has been widely praised for his decision-making and field-setting precision in the Twenty20 format by commentators.
Sunil Gavaskar, a former India captain, declared after the Titans’ victory in Ahmedabad that Pandyan would be a fitting successor to him.
If you’ve got leadership characteristics, you’ll have an easier time getting into the Indian team’s captaincy ranks in the near future, says cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.
As he explained to Star Sports, “the way he has led the team, the way he has got them together, the way he has got them to gel together” implies he has leadership characteristics.
My estimation isn’t the only one out there. This was a facet of his game about which no one knew a lot.
While Rohit Sharma, who took over as skipper of the team after Virat Kohli was fired from the one-day international team earlier this year, is capable of leading the team in all formats, Sharma is being rested for the next home series against South Africa because of his age.
Mumbai Indians, Rohit’s five-time IPL champions, had a terrible season and finished at the bottom of the league.
A ‘Dream Come True.’
Middle-order batsman Pandya has played 11 tests and 63 one-day internationals for India. He has also bowled 54 Twenty20 matches.
Despite a back ailment that kept him out of last year’s T20 World Cup, he established his fitness with 487 runs and eight wickets in 15 IPL matches to earn a recall for the five-match Twenty20 series against South Africa, which begins on June 9.
According to Indian media reports, he could get his first taste of national leadership in two T20 matches in Ireland later in June.
It “kind of draws the best out of me,” according to Pandya, who claimed he has “always appreciated responsibility”.
After winning the Indian Premier League, he told reporters that his next ambition was “definitely to win the World Cup for India, no matter what.”
It’s always been my goal to play for India, no matter how many times or how many games I’ve had the opportunity. Indian team members have shown me the type of support and love that I’ve received.”
Last year’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates was a failure for India, led by Kohli, but they will get another opportunity when Australia hosts the tournament later this year.
Daniel Vettori, a former New Zealand captain, says captaincy doesn’t stress Pandya since all-rounders are used to wearing multiple roles.
“I believe the thing people forget about all-rounders is that they have so much responsibility on them,” he said to ESPNcricinfo.
This is not a problem for them because they are used to being on the field all the time, whether it is bowling or batting.”
In his words, Pandya was “very genuine”. “He is at ease in the role of leader and bearer of duty.”
