Kapil Dev names his next white-ball captain for Team India, wants Gambhir to build team around him for 'next ICC events'

With India having conquered both the T20 World Cup last year and the Champions Trophy earlier this year, the Men in Blue have firmly stamped their dominance in the white-ball circuit. But with Rohit Sharma in the twilight of his career and already out of the T20I setup after retiring from the format, the most pressing question for Indian cricket is clear: who takes the baton next? Suryakumar Yadav surprisingly took over the reins from Rohit in the shortest format after it was widely speculated that Hardik Pandya would lead the T20I side. Shubman Gill , meanwhile, is the current vice-captain in ODIs.

However, for 1983 World Cup-winning skipper Kapil Dev, the answer doesn’t require much thought; Kapil threw his full support behind Hardik Pandya to lead India in ODIs and T20Is. “To me, Hardik Pandya is my white ball captain. There are many contenders for the post but Pandya is my choice,” Kapil told MyKhel .



This endorsement comes at a time when Hardik’s leadership credentials continue to divide opinions. Hardik had a horrid time with Mumbai Indians on his return to the franchise last year, as they finished at the bottom under his captaincy with four wins in 14 matches. This year, too, MI have endured a rough start, winning only one of their first four matches.

“Pandya is relatively young and can build a team around him for the next ICC events,” the former all-rounder believes. Hardik’s leadership journey in the IPL has been a rollercoaster. The all-rounder had a title-winning stint in his first season as captain for Gujarat Titans in 2022, and took them to another final the next year.

However, MI brought Hardik back to the franchise ahead of the 2024 auction, and named him the new captain of the side – a decision that caused significant controversy. Split-captaincy? Hardik Pandya only plays in the white-ball formats for India, with his last Test appearance being over six years ago. The all-rounder doesn't play domestic red-ball tournaments either, and Kapil made it clear that India will need different skippers across formats going forward.

“Ideally, Hardik should also play Test cricket and since he isn't playing, India will need multiple captain for three formats,” he said..