It appears that Hardik Pandya’s leadership during the white-ball matches in the West Indies, along with specific remarks he made in interviews during the tour, have aroused concerns among BCCI office bearers and selectors. Consequently, the all-rounder is reportedly facing removal from the post of vice-captain for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023.
Over the course of the past year, Hardik Pandya has stepped up to lead the Indian side in white-ball cricket whenever Rohit Sharma, the leading captain, was either taking a sabbatical or dealing with ailments. The anticipation is already building for Pandya to assume the reins as the captain for India in the future T20 World Cup in 2024.
Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah has been provided the job of leading the Indian side for their Ireland tour, marking his comeback to international cricket after a hiatus of 10 months.
Everyone believed that Hardik Pandya would continue the role of vice-captain for both the Asia Cup 2023 and the World Cup 2023. Yet, the narrative took a shift on Sunday morning with the emergence of news that Jasprit Bumrah is now the frontrunner in the competition for the vice-captain position specifically for the Asia Cup.
“If you look in terms of leadership seniority, Bumrah is ahead of Pandya as he captained the Test team in 2022. He has also been ODI vice-captain before Pandya during the ODI tour of South Africa,” a close BCCI source told PTI.
“Don’t be surprised if you see Jasprit Bumrah being made ODI deputy to Rohit for both Asia Cup and World Cup. There is a reason why he was handed captaincy in Ireland instead of Ruturaj,” the PTI source added.
Under Pandya’s term as captain, India endured a setback with a defeat in one ODI match and a 3-2 loss in the T20I series against the West Indies. However, it wasn’t simply the defeats that caught attention; some of Hardik’s decisions as captain during the matches and his words off the field also garnered significant scrutiny by the media.
On Monday, the BCCI selection committee is scheduled to convene, with Indian skipper Rohit Sharma in attendance, to conclude and reveal the lineup for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. There’s a prevailing notion that the 17-member squad chosen for the Asia Cup will also serve as the initial squad for the World Cup. However, it’s worth noting that adjustments can still be made to the World Cup squad until September 27.
