Ajit Agarkar clarifies Hardik Pandya’s appointment as deputy for T20 World Cup. “What Hardik brings as a cricketer is difficult to replicate,” said Agarkar.
On Thursday, May 2, India captain Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar, chief selector of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), spoke at a press conference. The press conference was held in conjunction with the Indian team, which was announced on April 30 for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. Among the few changes to the pre-empted squad, Hardik Pandya’s appointment as vice-captain made headlines across the media.
Pandya was previously named the Indian team’s vice-captain for the 2023 World Cup. Speculation arose following the all-rounder’spoorperformance as captain and batter in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2024. Agarkar addressed the issue, expressing confidence in the right-handed batter’s abilities. He also claimed that Pandya has many facets as a player, making things easier for any captain.
“There have been no discussions about the vice captaincy; what Hardik brings as a cricketer is difficult to replace; he also provides plenty of options for the captain, and he is only returning from a long absence. His fitness is critical, and he has performed admirably in the IPL thus far,” Agarkar stated during the press conference.
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Hardik Pandya will aim to make it count in blues for India
The Baroda all-rounder is under the scanner as Mumbai Indians are reeling at the penultimate spot on the points table in IPL 2024. Though he was a linchpin behind Gujarat Titans maiden IPL title in 2022, he has been reprimanded on social media for his latest outings. For the unversed, Pandya was brought back to MI in a historic trade ahead of the IPL 2024. He has been having a forgettable IPL 2024, amassing 197 runs in 10 innings at an average of 21.88 and at a strike rate of 150.38.
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