Is it the right decision to appoint Hardik Pandya as the T20I captain?

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Rohit Sharma called it quits from T20Is after steering India to its second T20I World Cup title. Following India's historic title triumph, Rohit Sharma bid farewell to the shortest format and the captaincy role is up for grabs. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya is leading the race to become the next T20I captain.

Bringing in a new leader like Hardik Pandya can inject fresh energy, ideas and dimensions into the Indian cricket team. The all-rounder certainly knows a thing or two about leading the team from the front. He has showcased his leadership skills in the IPL.

During his stint at Gujarat Titans, he steered the team to win the title in their debut season in 2022. He was calm and composed under pressure wherein he led a diverse group of players. In the subsequent season, he steered the Ahmedabad-based franchise to the finals of the competition before losing to CSK in the showdown.

Besides his IPL success as a captain, the 30-year-old has performed considerably well in international cricket. Whenever Rohit Sharma took a break due to workload management, Hardik Pandya did the honors as a captain, winning 10 out of the 16 T20Is, while incurring five losses and the other game ended in a tie.

When Hardik Pandya was traded to Mumbai Indians in a historic deal, there was a lot of hullabaloo surrounding him, when he replaced Rohit Sharma as the new captain. Things turned from bad to worse when Hardik Pandya was booed by the home supporters. The atmosphere at home felt hostile, much like the pressure-filled environment of a competitive sport.

There were a lot of question marks surrounding his form and captaincy after MI finished at the bottom of the points table. The Choryasi-born came into the T20 World Cup 2024 in the wake of a below-par show in IPL 2024. Nevertheless, at the marquee event, he made a stellar rebound, playing some good cameo roles down the order, mustering 144 runs at a terrific strike-rate of 151.57.

He brought the best out of himself as a bowler, accounting for 11 dismissals at an economy of 7.64 as India became the champions of the tournament. Hardik Pandya bowled the last over when the team required 16 runs to restrict the opposition and he did it quite convincingly by setting up a ploy to dismiss both David Miller and Kagiso Rabada to turn the tide in India's favor.

This game-changing spell must have given him a truckload of confidence. When the BCCI secretary Jay Shah was asked about the next T20I captain, he told PTI, "Captaincy will be decided by the selectors and we will announce it after discussing with them."

Hardik Pandya is the ideal man to take the Indian cricket forward in T20Is for all the right reasons. Be it leadership skills, potential to deal with pressure and inspire his team, all these qualities make him a strong candidate. Not to forget that, as an all-rounder, he understands the nuances of both batting and bowling.

As a result, he can help the team make well-rounded decisions on the field. While his IPL experience is valuable, it will be a learning curve for him in international cricket if he is appointed as a captain.

Apart from Hardik Pandya, other names like Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill have been surfacing as speculations about India's next captain in the T20Is. However, Hardik Pandya has a cutting edge above his counterparts, as he is not just good on paper but also practically. Moreover, his IPL success gives us a hunch that he has the potential to adapt and thrive.