Not long ago, Hardik Pandya, then the Indian vice-captain and poised to lead after Rohit Sharma‘s retirement post the T20 World Cup victory, found himself in a reshuffled leadership scenario with Rahul Dravid‘s exit as head coach. Gautam Gambhir‘s appointment as Dravid’s successor triggered a series of changes. Consequently, the star all-rounder was sidelined, and Suryakumar Yadav was appointed as the new Indian captain, aiming towards the 2026 T20 World Cup. Additionally, Shubman Gill was named vice-captain under Suryakumar’s leadership.

Russel Arnold speaks on Hardik Pandya’s overlook for captaincy

Team India, entering their transitional phase, will begin the new era, after the retirement of veterans like Rohit and Virat Kohli, in T20Is on July 27 against Sri Lanka in a bilateral series. Hardik, who retained his place in Men in Blue squad, remains a pivotal part of the team. However, former Sri Lankan cricketer Russell Arnold suggested that Hardik’s lacklustre performance with Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 may have hindered his chances for a leadership role.

In his first stint as captain this year, Hardik led MI through a disastrous season, finishing at the bottom. The controversial circumstances surrounding his appointment, compounded by the contentious removal of Rohit, did not bode well for Hardik. This dissatisfaction was palpable among MI fans, who expressed disapproval by booing Hardik during most of the team’s home matches.

“Well, both are exceptional players. They bring different things to the party. Suryakumar Yadav is probably one of the better T20 batters going around and the way he plays it, he obviously has to see and read the game like no one else. Hardik has also shown that. But I reckon with how the IPL went and whereas Hardik couldn’t really gain the respect of everyone around him, might have prompted BCCI to look in a different direction,” Arnold said while speaking to Sports Tak.

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Arnold in favour of Suryakumar Yadav

Arnold further said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) prioritized a happy dressing room and stated that Suryakumar was a better choice for the same.

“It’s about getting everyone to gel and keeping everyone calm and happy so that you can pull in the one direction. I’m not saying that wouldn’t have happened under Hardik, but I guess, at this particular moment, it was a good opportunity and it’s a great opportunity for Suryakumar to showcase what he can do and make it his own,” Arnold concluded.

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