IND vs SL: Indian Cricket in 2023 is witnessing a transition phase in T20Is as a youth-studded side is taking on Sri Lanka in a three-match T20I series. The senior boys including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Jasprit Bumrah are resting while Hardik Pandya has got the captaincy hat for another time in the series against Sri Lanka.
Hardik Pandya is being touted by experts as the right player to permanently take over the T20I captaincy from Sharma. He led the Indian team to a 1-0 win in a T20I series against New Zealand after the T20 World Cup 2022. Pandya had stated that the team wants the players to express themselves and he will back them to the core. He also stated that he wants to put his team in difficult situations. However, former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja has questioned the need to change the old system.
Speaking to Cricbuzz after the second T20I between India and Sri Lanka, Jadeja said,
"I totally agree that you need to stick to what you believe. You have got to either stick to A or B or C, and none of these systems will work 100 percent for you. You need to work out what works for you and go with that theme. But the problem is that every captain, at least last three years from now I can think of when Virat took over, he wanted to change the way the Indian team plays. Rohit Sharma took over, he wanted to change the team's approach. Hardik Pandya has taken over, he wants the Indian team to change. Why is it that everyone who comes in new, wants to change the old system? What is the system problem there?"
Pandya recently shared his New Year Resolution ahead of India's first series in 2023. "The biggest (resolution) is to win the World Cup. I don't think any bigger resolution can be there. Really want to win the World Cup, which we will try to do everything possible in our capacity," Pandya had stated. "What we have noticed and what we have told the boys is that just go out there and express yourself, which they will do and it's up to us how we back them.
We have said it we will back you to the core. All the players have that support from my side and I will back them to the core. I have to make them believe that," he added.
After his surprise call to give Axar Patel the final over in the first T20I win over Sri Lanka, Pandya stated that he wants his team to face difficult situations, especially in the Bilateral series. "We might lose a game here and there but it's all right. I want to put this team in difficult situations because it will help us in big games. Bilaterals we are very good at and this is how we are going to challenge ourselves. To be honest, all the young guns got us out of the situation today," said Hardik.
