Hardik Pandya posted a photo for his fans on Instagram amidst the ongoing storm of rumors about him being piped by Suryakumar Yadav as the next India T20I captain. India is set to embark on a new journey in T20Is after Rohit Sharma retired from the format post-T20 World Cup 2024 win.
Hardik Pandya returned to the Indian team in the T20 World Cup, months after suffering an injury during the ICC World Cup 2023. Pandya spent months out of action before returning to action in the DY Patil T20 Cup and then captained Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2024 as well.
However, Hardik’s homecoming to MI wasn’t as expected, after he was named the new captain, replacing Mumbai’s own Rohit Sharma. This move did not sit well with the MI fans, who held Rohit in the highest regard for his leadership and success with the team.
Hardik Pandya found it hard to lead MI as the team performed abysmally in the IPL 2024 and finished at the bottom of the points table. He couldn’t perform with the bat or the ball either and there were speculations that Pandya might not get picked in India’s T20 World Cup squad.
However, Pandya was not only named in India’s squad but was named vice-captain of the Indian team for the ICC event.
“Was a difficult journey..”- Hardik Pandya’s Instagram post keeps fans guessing
Hardik Pandya bowled well in the T20 World Cup, taking 11 wickets, and also made 144 runs including a fifty against Bangladesh. His best contribution was his 3/20 against South Africa in the final of the T20 World Cup, and defending 16 runs against David Miller as well helped India win the title.
The once-booed captain of Mumbai Indians was now celebrated as the hero who had brought glory back to Indian cricket. And now, Hardik, in a post that certainly invokes emotions, shared two pictures highlighting his transformation over the past months, ever since he endured the injury at the ODI World Cup.
“Was a difficult journey after the freak 2023 WC injury but well worth the effort with the T20 WC win. The results come as long as you put in the effort. Hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. Let’s all try our best and work on our fitness,” Hardik wrote.
There were a few questions when India emerged victorious in the T20 World Cup and Hardik Pandya was chosen as India’s new T20I captain, replacing Rohit. And this assumption was, for once, scarcely challenged.
Recent speculations, though, indicate that Gautam Gambhir may decide to select star batsman Suryakumar Yadav as the team’s new Twenty20 international skipper.
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