Rohit Sharma didn't want Hardik Pandya in World Cup team, but was forced to do it because...: Report

In an intriguing revelation, it has come to light that Indian captain Rohit Sharma was against Hardik Pandya's inclusion in the T20 World Cup 2024 squad. The revelation in a report by Dainik Jagran has sparked a debate on social media platforms. Speculations also suggest that Rohit Sharma was pressurised to include Hardik Pandya in the squad for the marquee ICC event.

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Rohit Sharma didn't want Hardik Pandya in T20 World Cup squad

The report indicates that Hardik Pandya's inclusion in the 15-member squad wasn't solely based on his on-field performances. Rather, it was driven by the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) vision of grooming Pandya as India's future T20I captain. This strategic move not only secured Pandya's spot in the T20 World Cup squad but also saw him being appointed as the vice-captain.

Relations between Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya within the Mumbai Indians camp haven't been without friction. The decision to replace Rohit as captain and hand over the reins to Hardik came with risks. Hardik's return to MI last October, following his stint with Gujarat Titans where he led them to consecutive finals, was a high-stakes, all-cash deal. However, the bombshell dropped when, on December 15, the five-time champions announced Hardik as their new captain, ending Rohit's decade-long tenure.

The move angered Mumbai Indians fans, who started booing Hardik Pandya during the IPL 2024 matches. Rohit Sharma also received criticism for not coming forward in Hardik's support. 

Meanwhile, it has been learnt that Rohit Sharma and BCCI's chief selector Ajit Agarkar didn't want Hardik Pandya in the T20 World Cup 2024 squad. However, the captain-selector duo was pressurised by the BCCI to include Hardik in the squad. To make Hardik the vice-captain was also a decision influenced by the BCCI. 

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India's squad for T20 World Cup 2024

Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya (vc), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj. Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed