Harbhajan Singh recently voiced his disappointment over the Board of Control for Cricket in India appointing Suryakumar Yadav as India’s T20I captain, passing over Hardik Pandya.
In a candid interview on Sports Yaari, Harbhajan expressed his surprise at the decision, especially considering Hardik's recent success and consistent T20 performance. He highlighted that Hardik had been vice-captain and was expected to step into the captain's role after Rohit Sharma.
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What did Harbhajan Singh say over Hardik Pandya's omission?
Harbhajan highlighted that Pandya had been leading India in T20I matches for over a year and had done so successfully. He pointed out that Pandya’s recent World Cup win only strengthened his credentials, and removing him from the captaincy came as a surprise.
"I was surprised and disappointed to some extent because Hardik Pandya has been the vice-captain. And if Rohit Sharma is no longer the captain, then naturally, the vice-captain should step up. He has been leading the side for over a year now, and just after winning the World Cup, this decision feels like a big setback for him," said Harbhajan Singh in an interview on Sports Yaari.
Though Harbhajan had immense respect for Suryakumar Yadav, calling him a "selfless" and "phenomenal" player, he doubted that even Suryakumar expected to be promoted to captain.
"I have great respect for Suryakumar Yadav. He’s a phenomenal player and a selfless guy, but even he might not have expected to become the captain. Things could have been handled differently. Hardik should have continued as the captain, given his recent performances. Suryakumar has a lot of time ahead of him," he added.
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Harbhajan acknowledged that Pandya had been consistent in leading the side for over a year and had successfully guided India through matches. He also hinted that Pandya's absence from a few games, possibly due to fitness or other reasons, might have influenced the BCCI decision to appoint Suryakumar.
However, Harbhajan firmly believed that Pandya’s exclusion from the captaincy was unfair. He felt that, despite any short-term concerns, the leadership could have been handled more thoughtfully.
According to Harbhajan, Pandya had demonstrated his capability and proven his leadership skills, making him the ideal candidate to continue as captain. The sudden shift to Suryakumar, although understandable from a future perspective, seemed premature.
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