Hardik Pandya needs ’handholding’: Ajit Agarkar not convinced about Mumbai Indians skipper getting Team India captaincy

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya was skipped in favour of Suryakumar Yadav as selectors sought a new captain for Team India. Reports suggest that the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar had felt the Mumbai Indian captain needed ‘handholding’. The developments came even as the cricketer announced his separation from wife Natasa Stankovic after four years of marriage.

“He needs a bit of handholding and Ashish Nehra did that at GT. Mark Boucher wasn't that man at MI and as per a general feedback, the younger lot in the Indian dressing room have a chance of responding way better to Surya than to Pandya,” said a recent PTI report citing the selectors.

Despite a thrilling performance that helped India secure their first ICC tournament title in 11 years, Pandya will now have to play domestic cricket in order to improve his below-par international appearance percentage of 50 percent across two white ball formats in last 19 months. The MI skipper will now have to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Baroda in December if he wants to go to the Champions Trophy next year.

The vote of 'no confidence' in his leadership ability was so emphatic and in your face that it has left the flamboyant all-rounder facing another big question thanks to one of the most dramatic twists in Indian cricket.

Will Mumbai Indians, the franchise with the deepest pocket and biggest say in the IPL Universe, be ready to give one more year to their current preferred leader Pandya, who replaced their most popular captain (Rohit Sharma) in acrimonious circumstances last year? To make matters more intriguing, MI also have the new Indian T20 captain Surya in their roster, and they will have to retain him at all cost going into next year's mega auction.

(With inputs from agencies)