Hardik Pandya joins Team India in New York, starts training on ‘national duty’ for T20 World Cup

Team India has started the preparations for the mega ICC event and focused on bringing the trophy back home. India won the inaugural T20 WC title in 2007 under MS Dhoni’s leadership but have been eluded from the title since then.

Pandya, who has been going through a lean patch, will be Rohit Sharma’s deputy in the T20 WC. He posted a few photos on social media. “On national duty,” the Indian all-rounder captioned the post.

The 30-year-old had a forgettable IPL campaign with Mumbai Indians. He was traded by the five-time champions ahead of the season and was also named captain of the franchise which irked the fans as they were not happy with Rohit Sharma’s sacking from the captaincy duties. Pandya was booed by the fans on several venues and faced heat on social media too.

Nothing went as planned for him on his homecoming to MI after two years as they finished at the bottom of the points table. He also struggled with the bat and scored just 216 runs in 14 matches but managed to regain his bowling form in the second half and claimed 11 wickets in IPL 2024.

There was speculation throughout the season that MI’s dressing room was a divided house due to the change of guard. Rohit will now captain the national side with Pandya as his deputy in the mega ICC event. Meanwhile, Rohit had a decent IPL 2024 season with the bat, scoring 417 runs at an average of 32.07 and a strike rate of 150. He scored a century and fifty, with the best score of 105*.

India will start their T20 World Cup campaign on June 5 against Ireland at the newly constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.

Meanwhile, the most-awaited blockbuster clash between India and Pakistan will take place on June 9. They will later play tournament co-hosts USA (June 12) and Canada (June 15) to wrap up their Group A matches.