Following Rohit Sharma‘s retirement from the T20Is after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, speculation is rife about who will succeed him as the captain of Team India.
The question of leadership has become a hot topic among fans and experts alike. As the Indian cricket fraternity awaits the official announcement, the debate continues on who will take the mantle and lead India into a new era in T20Is.
Saba Karim picks two potential candidates
In an interview with Sony Sports, former Indian cricketer and selector Saba Karim shared his insights on the possible candidates for the captaincy. “The first thing that needs to be decided is who will be the captain in T20I. Rohit Sharma has retired, so we will have a new captain. I feel there are two contenders,” Karim stated.
He elaborated on his choices, highlighting the logical selection of Hardik Pandya. “Logically, Hardik Pandya should be the captain; he was the vice-captain in the winning World Cup campaign. He has also captained India in the past,” Karim said.
However, the veteran wicketkeeper also put forward another strong contender, Suryakumar Yadav. “I feel there will also be discussions about Surya Kumar Yadav as the new captain of the T20I. He captained the team against Australia in the home series in November 2023 when Hardik Pandya was injured and performed admirably, making him a viable option,” Karim added.
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Proven leaders of Team India
Both Pandya and Suryakumar played pivotal roles in India’s triumph at the 2024 T20 World Cup under Rohit’s captaincy. Their performances have solidified their positions as key players in the team.
Pandya’s captaincy credentials are well-established. He led Gujarat Titans (GT) to their maiden IPL victory in 2022 and took them to the finals in 2023. In the most recent edition of the IPL, Pandya returned to Mumbai Indians (MI), where he was named the new captain, demonstrating his leadership capabilities once again.
