The Indian cricket team's governing body has announced the squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Mr. Rohit Sharma will lead the Men in Blue, while Mr. Hardik Pandya has been appointed as his deputy. The selection of Pandya has been met with surprise, given his recent form and lack of notable contributions to the Mumbai Indians team during the Indian Premier League 2024.
In the first game after being appointed Team India’s vice-captain, the MI captain was dismissed without troubling the scorers. He was unable to time Naveen Ul Haq’s delivery and was caught by Lucknow Super Giants’ captain KL Rahul.
Former India player Rohan Gavaskar commented that Hardik is attempting to silence his detractors at a significant cost:
“Hardik Pandya has been booed in the Indian Premier League. The moment he was given India’s vice-captaincy for the ICC T20 World Cup, the all-rounder tried hard to silence his haters, who have been after him since the start of the tournament. “
Rohan additionally noted that Hardik's performance is crucial for India's success in the T20 World Cup.
“He is the X-factor of the Indian team. If we (India) want to win the ICC T20 World Cup, his return to form is a must and he will also have to remain in form throughout the tournament.”