Hardik Pandya Completely Ignored by BCCI, Axar Patel Appointed T20I Vice-Captain

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Read Original Content: Hardik Pandya Completely Ignored by BCCI, Axar Patel Appointed T20I Vice-Captain

The BCCI has announced the Indian squad for the five-match T20I series against England, with Mohammed Shami’s return making headlines. However, a major talking point is the decision to appoint Axar Patel as the vice-captain while sidelining Hardik Pandya for the leadership role, despite his presence in the squad.

Suryakumar Yadav to Lead; Axar Named Deputy

Suryakumar Yadav will captain the Indian side for the series starting on January 22, with Axar Patel as his deputy. The absence of Hardik Pandya from the leadership group has raised eyebrows, especially as he has been a consistent performer in the shorter format.

Mohammed Shami Makes a Comeback

The 34-year-old Mohammed Shami has been included in the T20I squad for the first time since 2023. Following a lengthy injury layoff after ankle surgery, Shami made a strong return to domestic cricket, representing Bengal in the Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy. His experience will bolster the seam attack alongside Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.

The squad retains youngsters like Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel, showcasing BCCI’s focus on building a future-ready team. Harshit Rana, who missed out on game time in the South Africa series, also finds a place in the 15-member squad.

The spin department will feature Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, and Washington Sundar, adding variety to India’s bowling arsenal.

The five-match series begins in Kolkata on January 22, followed by matches in Chennai, Rajkot, Pune, and Mumbai. This series will test India’s depth and leadership under Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy.

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, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (WK).

With Axar Patel stepping into the vice-captain’s role, all eyes will be on how the team performs under this new leadership dynamic.

Read Original Content: Hardik Pandya Completely Ignored by BCCI, Axar Patel Appointed T20I Vice-Captain

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