India all-rounder Hardik Pandya saw his name removed from team captaincy when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad for the Sri Lanka tour. Although he was expected to be named the new T20I captain following Rohit Sharma's retirement, the new management, led by head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, had other plans. Gambhir and Agarkar appointed Suryakumar Yadav as the T20I captain and Shubman Gill as the vice-captain, contrary to waht people had anticipated.
Pandya, who led the Gujarat Titans to their first IPL title in 2023, had a challenging season as the captain of the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024 as the Mumbai-based franchise were the first team to get knocked out of the IPL.
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Agarkar Unimpressed With Pandya's Leadership Qualities In IPL
According to a PTI report, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar expressed doubts about Hardik Pandya's captaincy abilities, citing concerns observed during his stints with Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Hardik Pandya received significant support from Ashish Nehra during his successful tenure with Gujarat Titans, where they won the IPL in their debut season. However, Mumbai Indians head coach Mark Boucher did not offer the same level of guidance. Despite facing harsh criticism from fans and media speculation about internal issues, Boucher continued to back Pandya.
Pandya was also appointed vice-captain for the 2023 World Cup but had to step down midway due to an injury sustained in a match against Bangladesh. Pandya has captained India in 16 T20Is and three ODIs in Rohit Sharma's absence.
The Mumbai Indians captain has not featured in an ODI since the 2023 World Cup and has been left out of the 50-over squad for the Sri Lanka tour. India is set to play three ODIs and three T20Is against Sri Lanka, with the first T20I starting on July 27.