If I was chairman of selectors, would select Hardik as captain for 2024 T20 WC straight away: Kris Srikkanth

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 14 (ANI): Former Indian cricketer Kris Srikkanth said on Monday that if he was the Chairman of the Selection Committee, he would appoint Hardik Pandya as India's captain for the next T20 World Cup in 2024 and start the preparations for that tournament right from India's tour to New Zealand, which will kick off on November 18.
Speaking exclusively on Star Sports show 'Match Point', former chairman of the selection committee Srikkanth spoke on the road for India ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in 2024.
"See if I was the Chairman of the selection committee, I would say that Hardik Pandya should be the captain of the 2024 World Cup straight away, I would put it that way - number one. And start rebuilding a side right from today, that is from the New Zealand series which is going to happen in a week's time. You start from today, the preparation for the World cup, you need to understand, starts two years in advance."
"So, you do whatever you want to do, the trial and error policy, do whatever you want, try it for one year, then you form a team and by 2023 make sure this is going to be at the level that is going to play the World Cup. And as both Bish (Ian Bishop) and Irfan pointed out, you need more fast-ball all-rounders. Let's see, the 1983 World Cup, 2011 World Cup, and 2007 T20 World Cup, why did we win? We had many fast-ball all-rounders and semi all-rounders. So, to identify these guys - guys like Hooda (Deepak), there are going to be so many more Hoodas."
Pandya led Gujarat Titans from the front in IPL 2022, scoring 487 runs in 15 games at an average of 44.27 and four half-centuries. Pandya also took eight wickets throughout the tournament.
In Blue colours, Pandya had his first experience as the vice-captain during the home series against South Africa that took place in June. The series had ended in a 2-2 draw after the final T20I was washed out.
He was then named as the captain of the Indian team that went to Ireland to play two T20Is. India won that series 2-0. After this, Pandya was named as the vice-captain of India's T20I series against West Indies, which India won 4-1.
Pandya will lead the Indian squad in T20Is against New Zealand with Rishabh Pant being his deputy. The tour to New Zealand will start on November 18. It will have three T20Is and three ODIs.
Former Indian fast bowling all-rounder Irfan Pathan spoke on the importance of having a group of leaders in the squad who can take the team forward and having Hardik Pandya as captain of the T20 side. Pathan spoke on having two leaders, with the other being able to carry the squad forward in case the primary skipper faces an injury.
"So, I am not saying that if you change the captain you change the result, if you go like that you are not going to change the result. And with Hardik Pandya, you need to understand, we all need to understand, that he is a fast bowling all-rounder. He has injury issues as well. What if he is your captain who is getting injured right before the World cup? And if you do not have any other leader ready, you will be in a mess. So, what I personally think is that Hardik Pandya is a leader, who has done very well in the Gujarat Titians, won IPL. You need to find not one, but two leaders going forward to build their mark. You know just like we talk about openers - we need to have a group of openers, we also need to have a group of leaders," he said.
Former West Indies cricketer Ian Bishop spoke on the selectors making the right choices in the future and said that too much talent is available in India. He said that there is need to look beyond the statistics while forming a team and thinking more about conditions and hard games.
"So, that is where the real selector earns his money. Look, I still think that there is a kid called Mohsin Khan who plays in the IPL. And that is another one that I can recall as well, there are several highly talented players who are still in the nation. I think the talent is there to win the World Cup, it is just a matter of picking the right people at the right time," he added.
Mohsin was impressive for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2022. In nine matches, he took 14 wickets at an average of 14.07 and bowled at an economy rate of 5.97. (ANI)