Hardik Pandya opens up on his Team India captaincy journey

Table of Contents

Representing India is the ultimate dream for any cricketer, but leading the national side is an honour only a select few get to experience. Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya recently reflected on his captaincy journey with Team India, sharing his thoughts on leadership and the responsibilities that come with leading the country. Having captained India in both T20Is and ODIs, Hardik revealed that he has always believed leadership is defined by actions rather than titles.

Speaking during a conversation on SGTV, Hardik explained that he never chased leadership roles and always believed he could influence a team without officially being captain. According to the all-rounder, earning the trust of teammates and setting the right example matters far more than having the captain’s tag next to your name.

“When it comes to leadership, I never doubted myself. I don’t play for roles or the say on my name. It was always about knowing that I am a leader, knowing that I have the power and presence in any team that I play, where all 11 will follow me if I ask them. I always believed that you don’t need to be a captain to be a leader. You can be a leader as a player as well,” Hardik said.

The all-rounder also admitted that captaining India was a proud moment, but one he allowed himself to enjoy only briefly before shifting his focus towards the team’s progress. He added that he prefers not to become emotionally attached to positions or achievements, choosing instead to concentrate on contributing to the team’s success.

“Very fortunate and grateful. I never played for that. But it’s a dream of everyone who starts the journey to just play for India, but captaining is another honour. But that feeling was only for five minutes. After that, it was about thinking what we can do better. I loved the moment for five minutes and cherished it. I don’t keep all these things too close, as it can go anytime,” he concluded.

Also READ: Virat Kohli honours Ajinkya Rahane with a heartfelt tribute after his retirement announcement

Hardik first captained India during the T20I series against Ireland in 2022 before leading the ODI side for the first time against Australia in 2023. So far, he has captained India in 19 international matches across the two white-ball formats. He has also led Gujarat Titans (GT) and Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL, guiding GT to the title in their maiden season.

In T20Is, Hardik has led the Men in Blue in 16 matches, winning 10, losing five and seeing one match end without a result. He has also captained India in three ODIs, registering two wins and one defeat. Although he missed India’s recent white-ball tour of England while recovering from injury, Hardik remains one of the country’s most experienced leaders and an important figure in the team’s plans going forward.

Also READ: Sanju Samson opens up on the competition for India’s T20I opening spot