With chief Indian selector Ajit Agarkar and Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir favouring Suryakumar Yadav for the vacant T20I captaincy spot, former India pacer Ashish Nehra has sympathised with ex-vice-captain Hardik Pandya. According to chairman of selectors Agarkar, Hardik lost out on the T20I captaincy to Suryakumar because of concerns over his availability.

Hardik's frequent injury absences paved the way for Suryakumar to succeed Rohit Sharma as Team India's captain for the T20I series against Sri Lanka. The upcoming T20I series will be Gambhir's first assignment as head coach. With Hardik losing the captaincy race, ex-India cricketer Nehra tried explaining the rationale behind Suryakumar's elevation in the Gambhir era.

'It is difficult for Hardik Pandya'

"Ajit Agarkar, Gautam Gambhir said a couple of days ago, if I am not mistaken talked about fitness. He is not playing all formats, I mean, he is playing only one format, he doesn't even play the 50-over format that much. So it is difficult for Hardik Pandya or any coach or captain. I will just say that the thoughts are different," Nehra told Sports Tak.

All-rounder Hardik was Rohit's deputy at the T20 World Cup. The white-ball maverick defended 16 runs in the final of the T20 World Cup against South Africa to help Rohit and Co. lift the famous trophy in the Caribbean. After his World Cup heroics, Hardik also lost his vice-captaincy post to former world no.1 batter Shubman Gill.

'It's not surprising that when it comes to…'

Pandya will only feature in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. Shubman is named India’s vice-captain for the One Day International (ODI) and T20I series against the island nation. "It's not surprising that when it comes to cricket, these things happen. It's a bit surprising that Hardik Pandya, as you said, he was the vice-captain in the World Cup. But at the same time, a new coach has come. A new thought has come. So every coach, each captain has a different thought. So at this time, their thought is on that side," Nehra added.

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