Russell Arnold weighs in on Hardik Pandya's captaincy snub

Hardik Pandya, who was expected to take over as India’s T20 captain after Rohit Sharma’s retirement post the T20 World Cup, found himself sidelined when Gautam Gambhir replaced Rahul Dravid as head coach. 

This shake-up led to Suryakumar Yadav being appointed as the new captain for the T20I team, with Shubman Gill named vice-captain. The new leadership aims to steer the team towards the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Former Sri Lankan cricketer Russell Arnold has shared his views on Hardik Pandya’s exclusion from the captaincy role. 

Arnold suggested that Hardik’s performance during the IPL 2024 season with the Mumbai Indians (MI) might have played a role in the decision. Hardik’s tenure as MI captain was marked by disappointment as the team finished last in the league. His controversial appointment, coupled with the removal of Rohit Sharma, was met with fan disapproval, further complicating his position.

“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.

Arnold emphasized that the BCCI likely prioritized team harmony and a positive environment, which he believes Suryakumar Yadav could foster more effectively at this time.

“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,” he further added.