Former Indian cricketer Ashish Nehra has expressed sympathy for Hardik Pandya, who lost out on the T20I captaincy to Suryakumar Yadav. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir preferred Suryakumar due to concerns over Pandya’s availability, stemming from his frequent injuries. Pandya, previously vice-captain during the T20 World Cup, also lost his vice-captaincy to Shubman Gill. Nehra highlighted the differing perspectives of the new coach and selectors, noting the natural shifts in team dynamics.
5 Key Points
- Suryakumar Yadav Favored for T20I Captaincy: Chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir selected Suryakumar Yadav over Hardik Pandya for the T20I captaincy.
- Concerns Over Hardik Pandya’s Availability: Pandya’s frequent injury absences influenced the decision to choose Suryakumar.
- Hardik’s Role in the T20 World Cup: Pandya was Rohit Sharma’s deputy and played a crucial role in India’s World Cup victory.
- Shift in Team Leadership: Shubman Gill replaced Hardik as vice-captain for the ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka.
- Ashish Nehra’s Perspective: Nehra sympathized with Pandya and explained the rationale behind the selectors’ decision, emphasizing the different approaches of the new coaching staff.
