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Hardik Pandya will be Team India's vice-captain, serving as skipper Rohit Sharma's deputy at the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced the Men in Blue's 15-member squad for the showpiece event on Tuesday, April 30. While Pandya has been under the scanner for his form lately, the team management has shown faith in his ability by handing him the crucial position.
Pandya's personal form and captaincy for Mumbai Indians (MI) both have been underwhelming in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024). Under his leadership, the side have managed to win just three out of their first nine games and are languishing in ninth place in the points table.
However, he has been a pivotal cog in Team India's white-ball teams over the years and is expected to play a major role in the upcoming ICC event as well.
Here's how fans reacted on Twitter after Pandya was named India's vice-captain for the 2024 T20 World Cup:
Many Indian supporters also expressed their displeasure over Pandya's appointment as vice-captain.
"Instead of Hardik Pandya, I would have prefered Surya Kumar Yadav as Vice-captain," wrote a fan.
"Making #HardikPandya a vice-captain is going to be the worst decision, that means he has to be in playing XI. Not fair to Dube," commented another.
"Hardik Pandya being the vice-captain, speaks a lot about why we haven't won any major titles since 2013. Man got serious fitness issues still somehow sneaks into the World Cup team every year," chimed in one fan.
Hardik Pandya returned to competitive cricket with IPL 2024 following an injury layoff
Hardik Pandya had been on the sidelines since suffering an ankle injury during India's 2023 ODI World Cup fixture against Bangladesh last year. He returned to action in the DY Patil T20 trophy ahead of the ongoing IPL 2024.
The talismanic all-rounder has failed to set the stage ablaze so far this season. Pandya has scored 197 runs across nine innings at an average of 24.62. He has struggled to get going with the ball too, bagging just four scalps from seven innings at an economy rate of 11.94.
India's 2024 T20 World Cup squad
Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj.
Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.
