’It’s A Big Setback’: Harbhajan Singh’s Blunt Remark After Hardik Pandya Was Removed As T20I Captain

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh was shocked when Hardik Pandya was removed from the captaincy role of India’s T20I squad. When Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the shortest format of the game, Hardik was set to replace him as a skipper as he was the deputy lead during the T20 World Cup success in June. But then, the BCCI picked Suryakumar Yadav as the skipper of the Indian T20I team. 

"I was (surprised). Upto some extent, I was (disappointed). He was your vice-captain...when Rohit Sharma is not the captain, your vice-captain becomes the captain. But if you tell him on fitness ground that you will not be the captain - there's no T20I cricket round the year," Harbhajan told Sports Yaari.

"He came after winning the T20 World Cup and suddenly, it's a big setback for him. It's not right. I have great respect for Suryakumar Yadav. Phenomenal player, great guy...very selfless. Even he wouldn't have though that this would happen," he added.

Talking about India’s T20 squad for the Bangladesh series, the likes of Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma have been added to the side. Abhishek Sharma has been also picked in the side after missing out on Sri Lanka T20Is. The young guns Riyan Parag and Nitish Kumar Reddy are also set to show their finesse in the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh.

India squad for Bangladesh T20 series: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy, JItesh Sharma (wk), Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav

Bangladesh squad for India T20 series: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmud Ullah, Litton Kumer Das, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rakibul Hasan.