Aakash Chopra reckons Hardik Pandya is unlikely to be appointed India’s captain for the T20 World Cup later this year due to his fitness issues.
Pandya hasn’t played competitive cricket since injuring his ankle in India’s 2023 World Cup clash against Bangladesh. He is reportedly unavailable for the Men in Blue’s upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan and might next be seen in action only in IPL 2024.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that Pandya‘s fitness concerns might rule him out of contention for the captaincy role in the T20 World Cup. He elaborated (6:25):
The former India opener expects Rohit Sharma to skipper India at the global event despite the team’s underwhelming batting performances under his leadership in the last edition. He said (4:30):
Chopra noted that Rohit, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli were India’s top three in the 2022 T20 World Cup and that they scored at a run-a-ball against virtually every opposition. He acknowledged that some of the big names might not have been in contention if a call had been taken at that stage.
Aakash Chopra pointed out that Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul have triggered a turnaround with their performances in the 2023 ODI World Cup. He explained (5:35):
The cricketer-turned-commentator reckons India’s side for the 2024 T20 World Cup will be almost identical to the one that played the last edition of the tournament. He stated:
Chopra opined that the uncertainty surrounding Rishabh Pant’s availability might help Rahul get a spot in the T20 World Cup squad. He added that Ishan Kishan, the other primary contender for the wicketkeeper-batter’s position, is more comfortable as an opener, a position that might not be available.
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Poll : Who should be India’s captain in the 2024 T20 World Cup?
Hardik Pandya
Rohit Sharma
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