Ashish Nehra, former India fast bowler and Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Gujarat Titans (GT) head coach, said he was not shocked by the Indian management's choice not to name Hardik Pandya as the next T20I captain.
Former India cricketer Ashish Nehra said that he was not surprised by the Indian management decision not to appoint star all-rounder Hardik Pandya as the new T20I skipper. The Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehra feels that the thinking ability of the chief selector Ajit Agarkar and newly appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir is slightly different as they picked up Suryakumar Yadav as the new T20 skipper.
The 30-year-old cricketer who led India right after the 2022 T20 World Cup was named Rohit Sharma’s deputy in the 2024 T20 World Cup in June in the USA and West Indies. While Hardik Pandya was expected to replace Rohit Sharma as the T20I skipper after he retired from the T20I format, the BCCI has named Suryakumar Yadav as the new T20I captain for the upcoming three matches of the T20I series in Sri Lanka.
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“No, I am not surprised. When it comes to cricket, these things keep happening. Yes, Hardik Pandya was vice-captain in the World Cup, but at the same time, there is a new coach who has come in. Every coach and every captain have different thoughts. At this time, his (Gambhir’s) ideas are toward that direction,” Nehra told Sports Tak.
In the same vein, selector Ajit Agarkar said that team management wanted Hardik Pandya to focus on his fitness and backed Suryakumar Yadav to shine in his new role. The former India all-rounder said that Hardik’s frequent injuries have put him on the sidelines frequently over the last four to five years.
Meanwhile, it’s worth mentioning that Hardik Pandya tasted success in his first assignment as the skipper of the IPL franchise in 2022 at the Gujarat Titans. The star cricketer formed a good relationship with Gujarat Titans coach Ashish Nehra. The two oversaw GT’s run to glory in the IPL 2022, and the side reached the final of the IPL 2023 but suffered a loss to the MS Dhoni-led CSK side.
The Men in Blue arrived in Sri Lanka on Monday and began training for the upcoming T20I series commencing on July 27. Coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Suryakumar Yadav oversaw their first training session together at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.
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