NOT Shubman Gill or Suryakumar Yadav! Kapil Dev backs THIS star as India’s next white-ball captain after Rohit Sharma — find out who he is.
New Delhi: India’s men’s cricket team has solidified its position as a leading force in white-ball cricket, having won the T20 World Cup 2024 and the Champions Trophy 2025. However, with Rohit Sharma‘s retirement from T20 Internationals and his advancing age, the search for his successor as white-ball captain is a key challenge facing Indian cricket.
Suryakumar Yadav‘s appointment as T20I captain surprised many, particularly given the anticipation that Hardik Pandya would assume the role. Shubman Gill concurrently serves as vice-captain for the ODI team.
Kapil Dev, the 1983 World Cup-winning captain, believes Hardik Pandya should captain India in both ODI and T20I formats.
Kapil Dev’s endorsement of Hardik Pandya as a future white-ball captain is generating discussion, given mixed opinions on Hardik’s leadership skills. His recent captaincy record with the Mumbai Indians has been underwhelming; the team finished last in the previous season and has struggled early this year.
Hardik Pandya’s IPL captaincy career has been a blend of success and controversy. His debut season with the Gujarat Titans resulted in an IPL title win, followed by another finals appearance the next year. However, his captaincy tenure ended when the Mumbai Indians acquired him, appointing him as their captain, a move that generated significant debate.
Hardik Pandya’s limited involvement in Test cricket, having not played in over six years and not participating in domestic first-class matches, has led Kapil Dev to suggest India should consider appointing separate captains for different cricket formats.
India’s men’s cricket team has excelled in white-ball formats, winning the T20 World Cup 2024 and Champions Trophy 2025. With Rohit Sharma retiring from T20Is, leadership transitions have become crucial. Suryakumar Yadav’s unexpected T20I captaincy and Shubman Gill’s role as ODI vice-captain reflect evolving dynamics. Kapil Dev has endorsed Hardik Pandya to lead India in both white-ball formats, despite mixed reviews of his leadership. While Hardik found early success with Gujarat Titans in the IPL, his current tenure with Mumbai Indians has faced criticism. Kapil also supports format-specific captains, citing Hardik’s limited red-ball involvement in recent years.
