India Cricket Team Overhaul: India T20 Captaincy: The knives are out after India’s T20 World Cup debacle. But it is also time for BCCI to begin preparation for T20 World Cup 2024. With Rohit Sharma turning 37 in 2024, former chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth has backed Hardik Pandya to take the T20 captaincy mantle. The BCCI will meet with coach Rahul Dravid, captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to review team’s performance. Hardik is tipped to become India’s full-time T20 captain. Hardik’s first task will be in NewZealand as a temporary skipper. Follow IND vs NZ LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.
“See if I was the Chairman of the selection committee, I would say that Hardik Pandya should be the captain of the 2024 World Cup. I’d put it that way – number one. And start rebuilding a side right from today. That is from the NewZealand series. You start preparing for the World cup today. You need to understand, preparation starts 2 years in advance,” former chairman of the selection committee Krishnamachari Srikkanth said on Star Sports show ‘Match Point’.
India Cricket Team Overhaul: Ex-chairman of Selectors K Srikkanth wants Hardik Pandya to lead India in T20 WC 2024, says ‘Have Hardik captain and start rebuilding’
India T20 Captaincy: Will Rohit Sharma step down from T20 captaincy?
- It is likely that Rohit Sharma will vacate one captaincy to focus on 2023 WC.
- As Rohit Sharma will focus more on ODIs and Tests in 2023 leading up to 2024, he will miss a lot of T20s.
- Hence, Hardik Pandya has emerged as a strong candidate.
- If India do well in NewZealand under his captaincy in Rohit, KL and Kohli’s absence, Hardik will win over the BCCI.
- While a change was on the cards after ODI World Cup next year, BCCI is set to take a call in next one month.
- With injuries and fitness concerns, Rohit Sharma will not be the captain for T20 World Cup 2024.
- Instead, Hardik Pandya is expected to be the leader.
- KL Rahul is the next in line for ODI and Test captaincy.
India Cricket Team Overhaul: Ex-chairman of Selectors K Srikkanth wants Hardik Pandya to lead India in T20 WC 2024, says ‘Have Hardik captain and start rebuilding’
While a lot of former cricketers blamed India’s trial and error policy leading up to the WC, Srikkanth says this is the time for that. As the T20 WC is still two years away, a lot of chopping ana changes can be made.
“Do whatever you want to do, the trial and error policy, try it for one year. Then, you form a team and by 2023 make sure this is going to be at the level that is going to play the World Cup. You need more fast-ball all-rounders. Let’s see, 1983 World Cup, 2011 World Cup, 2007 T20 World Cup, why did we win? We had many fast-ball all-rounders and semi-all-rounders. So, to identify these guys, there are going to be so many more Hoodas,” Srikkanth said.
However, Irfan Pathan believes Hardik Pandya alone may not be the solution. He says India need to develop two captaincy options in T20s as Hardik is injury prone.
“With Hardik Pandya, you need to understand, that he’s a fast bowling all-rounder. He has injury issues as well. What if he is your captain who is getting injured right before the World cup? If you don’t have any other leader ready, you’ll be in a mess. So, what I personally think is that you need to find not one, but two leaders going forward. You know just like we talk about openers – we need to have a group of openers, we also need to have a group of leaders,” Pathan said.
India Cricket Team Overhaul: Ex-Selector K Srikkanth wants Hardik Pandya to lead India in T20 WC 2024, says ‘Have Hardik captain and start rebuilding’
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