Follow UsMohammad Kaif feels bad that Hardik Pandya is not even the vice-captain of India’s T20I team. Apart from winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) in his very first season as captain, Pandya has also led India in 16 T20Is, winning 10 of them.
The all-rounder, however, wasn’t picked as India’s full-time skipper once Rohit Sharma retired after the 2024 T20 World Cup. That role was given to Suryakumar Yadav. People expected Pandya to be the vice-captain at least, but even that role has now been given to Axar Patel.
Pandya has been India’s main man in the 20-over format. The Men in Blue won the last T20 World Cup, and Pandya played a major role in that. In 22 T20Is since 2024, Pandya has smoked 464 runs at an average of 38.67 and a strike rate of 147.3. He has also claimed 21 wickets in this period.
"People were after Hardik Pandya's life during IPL 2024. He faced a lot of brickbats; fans booed him at the Wankhede Stadium. He never spoke about his pain,” Kaif said in a video posted on his X handle.
“He is the same player who bowled the final over of the T20 World Cup final to hand India the trophy. He cried his heart out after making India win. He never showed his emotions during the IPL when Mumbai Indians weren't performing well.
"He got injured in Pune during the 2023 ODI World Cup. You didn't get a replacement for him. No player could have replaced him. Mohammed Shami bowled well, but India had only 7 batters and 4 bowlers. There was no eighth batter. Hardik Pandya is the backbone of this team. When he is injured, there is no replacement to be found.”
In the fourth T20I against England in Pune, India were reduced to 79/5, and that’s when Pandya smacked 53 off 30 to get his team to 181. Pandya has been one of India’s best big-game players in recent years.
"He scores runs when the team needs it. He takes the wickets when the teams needs it. Hardik Pandya played cameos in every match of the T20 World Cup. He is not the captain right now. Do you think he doesn't feel bad? Isn't he human, and doesn't he feel anything? He is not even the vice-captain of this Indian team," said Kaif.
"He is the captain of Mumbai Indians. He won the IPL with Gujarat Titans and then reached the final. But he isn't the captain of the Indian team. Suryakumar Yadav is the captain. Hardik is doing his role to the best of his ability. Hardik Pandya always gives his best. You cannot find anyone with his skill set when he gets injured. I think you don't have a player like Hardik Pandya. In the population of 1.4 billion, there is only one genuine all-rounder, and that is Hardik Pandya.”