Former India left-arm fast-bowler Irfan Pathan said India's vice-captain for the Men's T20 World Cup, Jasprit Bumrah, would have been a better fit for the role than Hardik Pandya, who has been named as captain Rohit Sharma's deputy for the showpiece event.
Former T20 World Cup Player of the Match, Pathan, raised concerns about Pandya's performance consistency and commitment to playing for the Indian team in his domestic cricket. He also pointed out that the lead of the T20 World Cup was shifted towards building a young team, possibly under Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav.
However, Pathan also noted that Pandya has shown commitment towards Indian cricket by playing regularly in domestic cricket, which he believes is paramount for maintaining fitness and form. He felt that players like Pandya received favouritism at times with regard to their return from injuries without playing a minimum of domestic cricket rounds, which may strain the morale of the team.
Pandya is going through a poor patch at the moment as skipper for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024, both with bat and ball. Also, Pandya's absence from domestic cricket for the past five years questions his fitness and readiness to play international cricket.
Pathan said that everyone should be treated equally and fairly in the team, irrespective of a player's stature and experience. He also felt that selection processes should be transparent and consistent as well, like in the case of Rinku Singh, who was not included in the squad despite previous plans for his inclusion.
On the other hand, former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif thinks that in the upcoming T20 World Cup, there is much potential of Pandya to shine. According to him, the Indian batter has a record of delivering vital performances in all the ICC tournaments. In this regard, according to him, the Indian batter is one of the most prominent match winners in ICC events even surpassing Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav.
Kaif recalls how Pandya finished off the game against Pakistan in crucial moments in high pressure matches with both bat and ball. According to him, he is one of the most prominent all-rounders and possesses significant leadership experience which adds value to the team.
Kaif ended by saying that selection of Pandya as vice-captain is a bold step to show the confidence of the selectors in the leadership positions of Pandya and in his match-winning performances. According to him, the Indian batter of his caliber is necessary to face the opposition in the upcoming T20 World Cup, and the selectors believe that he can deliver.
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