Ajit Agarkar explained the reason behind appointing Suryakumar Yadav as the new captain of the Indian T20I team, taking over from Hardik Pandya.
Ajit Agarkar, the head of BCCI’s selection committee, recently discussed the rationale behind appointing Suryakumar Yadav as the new captain of the Indian T20I team, taking over from Hardik Pandya. This decision came after Rohit Sharma’s retirement post-World Cup, creating a vacancy for the captaincy role.
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Although Hardik Pandya was seen as the natural successor due to his vice-captaincy at the World Cup and his leadership experience in ODIs, T20Is, and the IPL with the Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians, the selection committee had reservations about his fitness.
Agarkar highlighted that fitness issues had plagued Hardik over the past two years, influencing the decision to seek other candidates who could consistently be available until the next World Cup in 2026.
“Hardik is a key player with unique skills, but his fitness has been a concern. As selectors and the coach, we need someone who can be available all the time,” Agarkar explained ahead of India’s white-ball tour to Sri Lanka.
Hardik’s injury history, including an ankle injury during the 2023 ODI World Cup that sidelined him until IPL 2024, where he returned to lead Mumbai Indians, factored significantly into the decision. Since early 2022, he participated in only 46 out of India’s 79 T20Is.
Suryakumar Yadav emerged as a strong candidate for captaincy, having previously led the Mumbai state team and India in T20I series against Australia and South Africa post-ODI World Cup. Agarkar noted that player feedback and Suryakumar’s cricketing acumen contributed to his selection.
“Suryakumar is one of the most deserving candidates. His cricket brain and batting prowess in T20s make him suitable for captaincy,” Agarkar stated.
Suryakumar’s first challenge as T20I captain will be the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, featuring three T20Is from July 27 to 30, marking Gautam Gambhir‘s debut as India’s head coach. Shubman Gill, who led India to a series victory in Zimbabwe, has been named vice-captain, replacing Hardik.