Following Rohit Sharma's announcement of his retirement from T20 Internationals after winning the ICC T20 World Cup, all-rounder Hardik Pandya is expected to take over as the captain of the Indian T20 team. Wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul is anticipated to lead the team in One Day Internationals, according to sources.
Hardik Pandya To Captain Team India vs SL
In the T20 World Cup, Pandya scored 144 runs in six innings, averaging 48.00 with a strike rate of 151.57, including a half-century with a top score of 50*. He also claimed 11 wickets in eight matches, averaging 17.36 with an economy rate of 7.64, and his best bowling figures were 3/20.
This tournament marked a redemption story for Pandya, who faced significant criticism and was booed in every stadium across India during the IPL 2024. This occurred after he took over the captaincy of the Mumbai Indians from five-time IPL champion Rohit Sharma. Pandya, who was returning to the game after an ankle injury during the 50-over World Cup the previous year, became a target of online trolling and fan wars, with accusations of betraying the Mumbai Indians franchise, Rohit Sharma, and his former team, the Gujarat Titans, which he led to an IPL title in 2022.
Despite his outstanding performance in the ODI World Cup 2023 in India, KL Rahul was left out of the Men in Blue's T20 World Cup squad. Rahul scored 386 runs in nine innings, boasting an average of 77.20 and a strike rate of 98.72. Often batting at number five, he consistently stabilized the Indian innings throughout the tournament.
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