BCCI Secretary Jay Shah confirmed earlier this year that Rohit would lead India in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu has expressed his support for Hardik Pandya to potentially take over the white-ball captaincy from Rohit Sharma in the future. Sidhu believes that Hardik is the future of the Indian team and commends the BCCI for their forward-thinking approach in appointing him as the vice-captain of the white-ball side.
In an exclusive interview with India Today, Sidhu also endorsed Jasprit Bumrah as a potential candidate to lead the Test side once Rohit Sharma's captaincy tenure concludes. Sidhu emphasized the importance of planning for the future and allowing young players like Hardik and Bumrah to develop under the mentorship of experienced leaders such as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
"Hardik Pandya is the future. Rohit is now around 36-37. He has a couple more years left. He is a superb captain and a wonderful player. If you ask me, he is poetry in motion. Whenever I see him, it looks like time stops. But, you have to actually look forward and prepare the ground for someone to take over," Navjot Singh Sidhu, said in an Interaction facilitated by Star Sports, the official TV broadcaster of the IPL.
"I am not advocating Hardik Pandya for Test match captaincy. But, he is your vice-captain. He has captained India in T20Is for close to a year when Rohit was not there. Hardik is your natural choice. That's why BCCI has named him the team's vice-captain. There's a lot of planning, lot of consideration that goes in before BCCI takes a call," he added.
"Hardik is a natural choice for white-ball captaincy."
Hardik Pandya assumed the role of captain for India in 16 T20Is between 2022 and 2023, taking on the responsibility in the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli during the ODI World Cup year in 2023. Speculation had been circulating that Hardik would continue to lead India in the T20 World Cup 2024, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ultimately reinstated Rohit Sharma as captain for a 3-match T20I series against Afghanistan. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah confirmed earlier this year that Rohit would lead India in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Also read| MI vs RCB, IPL 2024: Predicted playing XI, live streaming details, weather and pitch report
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Navjot Singh Sidhu names player who will be India's next white-ball captain; it's not KL Rahul, Pant, Gill, SKY")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}