NEW DELHI: As the T20 World Cup kicks off, all eyes will be on the Indian cricket team, particularly on the dynamics between captain Rohit Sharma and vice-captain Hardik Pandya. Following a disappointing season with the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024, where Pandya replaced Sharma as skipper, the duo now finds themselves in the national camp, aiming to end India's long-standing ICC trophy drought.
Head coach Rahul Dravid faces the challenging task of ensuring that the 'alleged' tensions from the IPL do not spill over into the World Cup. However, former cricketers Irfan Pathan and Matthew Hayden believe that Dravid does not need to address the issue directly.
"Without one word, you know who the leader is. Nothing has to be spoken. You look at each other, you understand what needs to happen and you go about it. It's music to my ears what Irfan just said, about how it is that you are not going to address it. Don't even talk about it," Hayden told ESPNcricinfo.
Pathan echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the need to focus on the present and boost Hardik's confidence.
"I will not even discuss this. Whatever happened has happened. I will just say that this is my expectation from you: I want you to win matches for India. This is the roadmap, and you are an important part of the team and a match-winner. Being an all-rounder, I will say he will play a crucial role," Pathan said.
"How many fast bowlers have we taken? Just three specialist bowlers, besides Hardik and Shivam Dube. So when the time comes, these 3-4 overs will become very crucial. Remember, he will allow us to play an extra spinner in the West Indies when we play day games. So this is where he comes into the picture, he needs to feel good and believe that he can make a contribution and hence the conversation of the IPL should not be happening even once," Pathan advised.
In their recent warm-up game against Bangladesh in New York, both Sharma and Pandya played together. Pandya, shaking off his IPL woes, scored a quickfire 40 off 23 balls, contributing to India's 60-run victory. This performance is a promising sign as India gears up for their World Cup opener against Ireland on June 5 at the same venue.
