Asia Cup T20s: Is Hardik Pandya's leadership dream slipping away?

India Today

11 hours ago

For years, Hardik Pandya was spoken of as the natural successor to Rohit Sharma in India's white-ball set-up. A dynamic all-rounder with the ability to change games with bat or ball, and a captain who had already shown a knack for leading sides to success, Pandya looked certain to take over. But as things stand, his leadership ambitions have been brought to a halt.advertisementThe Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is due to announce the squad for the Asia Cup on 19 or 20 August, depending on when the Sports Science team at the Centre of Excellence submits its medical bulletin. That report will include the fitness update on Suryakumar Yadav, who has already resumed batting in the nets in Bengaluru. Selection will involve some fine calls, but the mood in the camp is to stick with continuity — a policy that has served well since Suryakumar became full-time T20I captain.When Suryakumar first took the reins in Sri Lanka last year, Shubman Gill was named vice-captain. In the recent home series against England, the role went to Axar Patel, who had also been deputy in an earlier series. Pandya, despite his track record, was nowhere in the leadership frame.ABSENCE FROM LEADERSHIP ROLES
That absence is striking. Pandya has captained India in T20Is with success and left a strong imprint on the IPL. He led the Gujarat Titans to the title in their debut season in 2022 and took them to the final in 2023. For many, he was the obvious choice to be India's next T20I captain after the World Cup in the Caribbean. The selectors, however, went with Suryakumar, pointing to lingering doubts over Pandya's fitness. A captain, they reasoned, must be available for every game, not just when the body allows.
Hardik was the vice-captain of Indian team during T20 World Cup 2024 (Courtesy: PTI)
Suryakumar has thrived in the role, winning praise for his ability to get the best out of mercurial talents like Sanju Samson. Yet the debate has shifted from the captaincy to the vice-captaincy — and Pandya has again been overlooked. Axar Patel's appointment is no reflection on his own merit; the Delhi Capitals skipper in IPL 2025 has been a steady performer in all formats. But it reinforces the message that Pandya's leadership stock has slipped.advertisementSuryakumar, when asked, said Pandya remained 'firmly in the leadership group'. That was the case during the 2024 T20 World Cup, when Pandya was vice-captain. But the landscape shifted when Gautam Gambhir replaced Rahul Dravid as head coach. Surya was made captain, and Gill was promoted to vice-captain. According to a PTI report, Gambhir's arrival dimmed Pandya's chances further, and the Agarkar-led panel was also unsure of his tactical nous as an international captain.What makes the current situation harder for Pandya to digest is that his performances in big matches have been anything but lacking. In the World Cup final, he held his nerve in the closing overs, producing a burst that swung the contest. As captain, he has 10 wins in T20Is. In the IPL, he followed up two remarkable years with Gujarat by taking over at the Mumbai Indians in 2025 and leading them to a third-place finish in his second season after replacing Rohit Sharma.GILL's RISING STOCKSMeanwhile, Gill's leadership stock is rising fast. He recently led India to a 2-2 Test series draw against England, finishing as the highest run-scorer across both sides. He was also vice-captain in both white-ball formats during the Sri Lanka tour last year and guided India to a 4-1 T20I series win in Zimbabwe after the World Cup.advertisementFormer selector Devang Gandhi has gone so far as to say Gill should be India's all-format captain, citing the precedent set by MS Dhoni, under whom Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma flourished.'Gill has built an aura similar to what Virat had in 2017,' Gandhi told The Times of India. 'He has reacted to captaincy as well as Virat did. Ajit Agarkar has shown great foresight by appointing Gill as Test captain. There's no reason why Gill shouldn't be in a leadership role in T20s. The messaging has to be clear about who takes over after Surya.'Gandhi also argued that India's ICC trophies since 2000 have all come under all-format captains, a sign that split leadership rarely works here.'Unlike other countries, in India, you crave stability in thought process,' he said. 'Gill has ticked all the boxes as a batter, and he has led in the IPL,' said Gandhi.HARDIK'S AMBITION CHECKFor Pandya, this is a hard pill to swallow. He is only 30, still in his prime, and has built a career on resilience — from growing up on the fringes of cricket's elite pathways to making himself indispensable in the IPL. But repeated snubs leave a mark. They chip away at the self-belief that fuels comebacks.
Hardik continues to be a key player for India in white-ball formats (Courtesy: PTI)
advertisementThe irony is that India's T20I side still needs him. A power-hitter who can finish games, a bowler who can take key wickets, and a senior figure in the dressing room who commands respect. Titles and designations aside, his influence is not in doubt. But without the vice-captaincy or a clear leadership pathway, his role is shifting to that of a senior pro rather than a designated leader.For now, Pandya must focus on his cricket — building on the form he showed with bat and ball at the T20 World Cup — and trust that performances can reopen doors. He has been written off before and found his way back. Yet each setback makes the climb steeper. How long he keeps absorbing the blows without letting them dull his edge is a question only time will answer.Captaincy dreams are not easily abandoned, especially for someone who has lived them at the franchise and international level. But in Indian cricket's current vision, Pandya is a player they want in the XI, not necessarily in the captain's chair. Whether that changes in the next cycle will depend as much on his fitness and form as on the selectors' willingness to revisit their plans.- EndsMust Watch