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Ravi Shastri Gave A Bold Verdict On Hardik Pandya Taking Over As India’s Next Captain: After yet another disappointing outing at an ICC event, the Indian cricket team is staring at a transitional phase across formats. Besides replacing the senior players with younger talent, the team is certain to witness a change in the captaincy as well. Several reports claim that after ODI World Cup 2023, the phasing out will begin, which might also see Rohit Sharma relinquishing his role.
So, now the big question is who will be the next captain across formats? As the debate continues to grow, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has given a no-nonsense verdict on one of the favorite contenders in the race – Hardik Pandya.
Hardik has impressed one and all not just with his comeback but also with his captaincy skills. The way he led Gujarat Titans to IPL title victory in 2022 and took the team to the final in IPL 2023, many believed that the Indian cricket team has found its rightful heir.
Hardik even led the team in Rohit Sharma‘s absence with impressive skills, which made the belief grow even stronger. And as the ODI World Cup 2023 is just around the corner, there are calls of making Hardik the next captain in white-ball format.
For the unversed, though Hardik has returned in the ODIs and T20Is as an all-rounder completely, but he is yet to make a Test appearance since his last in 2018.
Ravi Shastri Gave A Bold Verdict On Hardik Pandya As India’s Next Captain
Meanwhile, in an interview with The Week, Ravi Shastri was asked the same question on whether Hardik can become the Test captain as well, Shastri gave a bold reply. He explained how Hardik’s body won’t allow him the longer format. He said:
“His body cannot cope with Test cricket. Let’s be very clear about that. After the World Cup, if his body is fit enough, he should take over captaincy in white-ball cricket,”
“There are seniors ready to be phased out and there are youngsters ready. No question about it when it comes to T20 cricket. Lesser in 50-over cricket and even fewer in Tests,”
He added: “Because of the IPL, you see an abundance of high-quality, young, white-ball players. But, one should not get carried away by that and think they should be automatic red-ball choices. No, I would rather see the red-ball record. I would sit with the selectors and find out more about who the [red-ball performances] were against, in what conditions, what are their strengths, what is the temperament of the bloke like.”
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