Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya (SportsPix)
Michael Vaughan said Hardik Pandya has Midas qualities to become an excellent white-ball captain
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has lauded flamboyant all-rounder Hardik Pandya for his leadership abilities and said he has all the qualifications to lead India in limited-overs cricket. Hardik led Gujarat Titans to an IPL victory in his first season as captain in 2022 and once again impressed many by leading them to the finals in the 2023 edition.
Hardik currently has a win percentage of over 70 in the IPL, which is even better than the legendary CSK skipper MS Dhoni. While Hardik has been leading the Indian team in T20Is since last year’s T20 World Cup, however, the BCCI is yet to announce him as the permanent T20I captain.
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Vaughan said that Hardik has the ability to become an excellent white-ball captain next to Midas, which could make him India’s captain in the shorter formats of the game in future.
“Hardik Pandya is going to captain India. I can assure you all after hearing that he is going to captain India. I don’t know when it’s going to happen. He will captain India in limited overs cricket,” Vaughan told Cricbuzz.
The Englishman said that Hardik took smart decisions while backing the field and changing the bowling.
“He has calmness, he has game. I am worried about his back injury, but he has got that personality in the middle now. You can see his body language. Manoeuvres in the field. The way he varies his bowling. Yes, he has got two great spinners and Mohammed Shami, who has been the best seamer in the tournament. As a captain, you need bowlers.
He has that Midas touch, which you need to be an excellent white-ball captain,” he added.
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During Sunday’s IPL 2023 final, MS Dhoni-led CSK will have a chance to equal the historic number of titles (five) with Mumbai Indians, while Hardik’s Titans, who emerged as champions in their debut season, won the title. Everyone was shocked, looking forward to making it. Two in two
