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Hardik Pandya has become one of the strongest names in the race for India’s T20 captaincy after reports of Suryakumar Yadav losing the trust of the BCCI and the national selectors created massive buzz amidst the ongoing IPL 2026.
With the Indian cricket team management now thinking about a fresh leadership plan for the next T20 cycle, Hardik Pandya’s name has once again come into the discussions. The Indian all-rounder was already part of the captaincy conversation even before Suryakumar Yadav got the job.
BCCI looking beyond Suryakumar Yadav? Hardik Pandya back in captaincy race
Hardik Pandya was seen as a natural white-ball leader because of his experience, aggressive mindset, and ability to handle pressure situations.
Even though he is struggling in the IPL 2026, Hardik is still leading the race to become India’s new T20 captain, with uncertainty growing around Suryakumar’s future.
Read Also: Suryakumar Yadav hid wrist injury from BCCI to avoid axing?
The selectors are reportedly discussing multiple options, including Shreyas Iyer, but Pandya remains the top name being seriously considered for the role, as per RevSportz reporter Rohit Juglan.
Hardik Pandya is very much in the race to be the next T20 India captain
— Rohit Juglan (@rohitjuglan) May 8, 2026
PS - now dont say look at his ipl performance beacuse his name is there from the very start of this discussion
Hardik Pandya’s big-match temperament and captaincy record makes him top favourite for India's T20 job
Hardik already has a strong record as captain in the shorter format of the game and has been part of almost every major ICC event over the years.
Under Hardik’s captaincy, Gujarat Titans won the IPL trophy in their debut season in 2022 and then reached the final in the 2023 season, and Mumbai also reached the playoffs in the 2025 season. Apart from the IPL, the star all-rounder also led India in T20I and ODI formats as well.
He led India to two ODI wins from three games and 10 wins from 16 T20Is, with one game ending without a result. Pandya has a great temperament, especially in the big games, and has the mastery of handling big pressure apart from his all-round heroics. These factors make him the top choice.
Read Also: Punjab Kings coach to join Team India as Shreyas Iyer era begins
Suryakumar Yadav’s downfall after becoming Indian captain
There have been reports that the Indian selectors and team management are no longer happy with Suryakumar Yadav’s poor batting form and now want a fresh start for the next T20 cycle.
Suryakumar may still be one of the most dangerous T20 batters in world cricket, but his numbers after becoming India’s full-time captain are now raising serious questions. Before becoming captain, he was playing fearless cricket and scoring runs almost everywhere.
His average before captaincy was an outstanding 43.60 with a strike rate close to 169. He had already smashed 4 T20I centuries and 20 fifties during that period and looked almost unstoppable in the shortest format. But things changed dramatically after he became the Indian captain.
Since July 2024, Surya’s average has dropped badly to 25.88, while his strike rate has also fallen to 152.03. The most shocking part is that he has not scored even a single century after becoming full-time captain. In 45 matches as captain, he has managed only 932 runs and hit only six fifties.
Another worrying sign is his performance against stronger teams. The right-handed batter scored only 197 runs in 19 innings against England, Pakistan, and South Africa, but he managed 392 runs in just 11 innings against teams like New Zealand, Bangladesh, the USA, and Zimbabwe.
The worst phase came against England last year, where he managed scores of 0, 12, 14, 0, and 2 in five matches, and till now, he has not yet found his mojo back. Even though India won major tournaments under his captaincy, including the T20 World Cup and Asia Cup, selectors want to move with someone else in the next cycle.
