• Kris Srikkanth reckoned that Hardik Pandya's all-round abilities and leadership qualities make him a more suitable candidate for the captaincy role.

  • Srikkanth remains unconvinced by the explanations given by BCCI selection panel for not selecting Pandya as a leader.

Kris Srikkanth raises eyebrows over BCCI’s decision to appoint Suryakumar Yadav as captain over Hardik Pandya
Kris Srikkanth on Hardik Pandya (Image Source: X)

The BCCI’s move to appoint Suryakumar Yadav as the captain of India’s T20I team while overlooking Hardik Pandya has not gone down well with fans and experts. This surprising decision has led to widespread discussions and debates among cricket enthusiasts, who question the rationale behind the selection committee’s choice.

Kris Srikkanth expresses his disappointment

Former Indian cricketer Kris Srikkanth has expressed his disappointment with the BCCI’s decision. Srikkanth believes that Pandya’s all-round abilities and leadership qualities make him a more suitable candidate for the captaincy role. He criticized the selection committee’s reasoning, particularly the feedback from the dressing room and fitness concerns, stating that Pandya’s performance in the IPL and his role as vice-captain in the World Cup contradict these justifications.

“I think they have gone from the feedback of the dressing room. It must have probably been from the IPL. Fitness is something that I will not agree. He played the entire IPL. He also bowled. Yes, he might not have done well (in the IPL). That’s another issue. Mumbai Indians didn’t qualify. At the World Cup, he was the vice-captain and he played well. So, fitness is something that I won’t agree with,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.

Also READ: Ashish Nehra offers his views on the BCCI’s decision to overlook Hardik Pandya for India’s T20I captaincy

While acknowledging Suryakumar’s potential to be an excellent captain, Srikkanth remains unconvinced by the explanations given for not selecting Pandya. He criticized the reasoning as vague and unsatisfactory, suggesting that the true reasons for Pandya’s exclusion are not being clearly communicated.

“Feedback from the dressing room? I am not able to understand that. Yes, Suryakumar has the qualities to be captain. I agree to that. He could prove to be a very good captain. But the reasons for dropping Hardik Pandya as captain are beating around the bush in terms of the reasoning,” added Srikkanth.

A big test for Suryakumar Yadav

With Suryakumar now at the helm, expectations will be high for him to lead the team successfully in the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka. Fans and experts alike will be closely watching to see how Suryakumar handles the captaincy responsibilities and whether he can prove himself as a capable leader on the international stage.

Also READ: Ashish Nehra spills beans on the chances of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma playing 2027 ODI World Cup

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