Why 30-year-old player was chosen over Hardik Pandya for India’s vice-captaincy in the upcoming T20I series against England?

All-rounder Axar Patel has been appointed as India’s vice-captain for the upcoming five-match T20I series against England.

New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled the Indian squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against England. The most notable inclusion was Mohammed Shami’s return to the T20I squad after a two-year injury break. Shami’s last appearance for India was during the 2023 ODI World Cup.

The squad saw some significant omissions, including experienced players Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Instead, the BCCI has selected Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Dhruv Jurel as the preferred choices for these roles. Nitish Reddy, who impressed during the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy, has earned a well-deserved spot in the T20I squad. Suryakumar Yadav will remain the captain, with key players such as Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, and Rinku Singh also retaining their spots.

The fast-bowling unit will be led by Shami, supported by Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh. The spin attack will include a mix of Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, and Washington Sundar.

Axar Patel named India’s vice-captain for the T20I series against England:
The decision to name Axar Patel as the vice-captain for India’s upcoming T20I series against England came as a surprise, as he was preferred over Hardik Pandya. This marks a notable change in the leadership setup of the Indian team.

Axar Patel’s elevation to the vice-captaincy adds a fresh dimension to the leadership structure. Interestingly, the Indian team did not have a designated vice-captain during the recent T20I series against South Africa, making this move even more significant. His consistent performances have likely played a key role in this promotion.

However, the exclusion of Hardik Pandya from a leadership position has raised questions. Pandya had been vice-captain during the 2024 T20 World Cup and many had anticipated that he would take over as the permanent T20I captain after Rohit Sharma. Instead, the management chose Suryakumar Yadav for the role.

Axar Patel’s appointment as vice-captain is a well-earned recognition of his impressive performances. He played an instrumental role in India’s T20 World Cup triumph last year, contributing significantly with both bat and ball. During the tournament, he scored 92 runs, including a crucial 47 in the final, and took nine wickets in eight matches.

His consistency has been evident in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as well. The Delhi Capitals retained him at a substantial fee of Rs 16.50 crore, underscoring his value. Despite the addition of KL Rahul to the squad, Axar remains a potential future captain for the franchise.

On the other hand, Hardik Pandya, once seen as a natural heir to Rohit Sharma’s T20I captaincy, has seen his leadership opportunities fade. Although he was vice-captain during India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign, he has not been given a leadership role in the current series against England. This exclusion is noteworthy, especially considering that Shubman Gill, who was recently named vice-captain against Sri Lanka, is not part of the squad, creating a potential opening for Pandya to take on a leadership position.

India’s T20I squad for England series:
Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (vc), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (wk).