IPL 2022 Auction: 3 reasons why Shreyas Iyer could be a better choice than Hardik Pandya as Ahmedabad captain
Former Delhi Capitals (DC) star Shreyas Iyer was available in the player pool and was touted to lead one of the two new franchises ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. With Lucknow reportedly going with KL Rahul as their captain, Ahmedabad were favorites to snap him up as skipper.
However, according to reports, Ahmedabad have already secured the services of Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan and Ishan Kishan as their three picks ahead of the IPL auction. Moreover, former Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik is set to lead the team.
Shreyas Iyer, meanwhile, reportedly requested to be released by Delhi Capitals, who named Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw, Axar Patel and Anrich Nortje as their retentions.
Iyer became Delhi Capitals captain in 2018, replacing Gautam Gambhir. He then led the franchise to their maiden IPL final in 2020, but they fell short against Mumbai Indians (MI).
However, a shoulder injury ruled him out of IPL 2021 and Pant was named captain for the season.
DC got off to a good start under Pant's leadership before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 crisis getting worse in India early in May.
By the time the season resumed in September, with the tournament now moved to the United Arab Emirates, Iyer was fit to return. But DC decided to continue with Pant as their skipper.
DC reached the playoffs, but were knocked out in the Eliminator by the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Iyer probably left DC so he could become captain at another franchise and secure a better deal. Ahmedabad had the opportunity to rope him in and build the team around the 27-year-old, but reportedly decided against it.
But with teams like Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders looking for a new skipper, Iyer is expected to be in high demand at the IPL 2022 Auction.
On that note, here are three reasons why the Ahmedabad franchise should have picked Shreyas Iyer as captain.
#1 Shreyas Iyer's captaincy experience
Shreyas Iyer captained the Delhi Capitals for three seasons and even led them to their maiden IPL final appearance in 2020.
He became captain of the franchise when he was just 24 and performed admirably. Iyer has also been the vice-captain of Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and captained India B in the 2018-19 Deodhar Trophy.
Hardik Pandya, Ahmedabad's potential new skipper, meanwhile, has no captaincy experience in either domestic or international cricket.
For a new franchise, Iyer's experience in leading a team would have been invaluable as opposed to somebody who is being thrown into the role for the first time.
#2 Hardik Pandya's fitness issues
While Shreyas Iyer's shoulder injury was a one-off incident, Hardik Pandya has consistently faced problems with his fitness over the last two years.
It has also affected his ability to bowl. If the issues persist, Ahmedabad will be left with an all-rounder who can't perform one of his main roles, majorly affecting the team's balance in the process.
If Hardik Pandya is going to play solely as a batter, Ahmedabad need to be clear about that going into the auction. Otherwise, they could make the mistake of planning their team around him as an all-rounder.
Hardik's fitness issues have also caused him to miss several games for the Mumbai Indians over the last few years.
Ahmedabad would be better served with a captain who is more likely to play every match of the season.
#3 Shreyas Iyer's consistency
One of the biggest expectations from the captain of any team is the ability to deliver with their primary skill, be it batting or bowling.
Shreyas Iyer has been consistent with the bat and can play the anchor role seamlessly.
Hardik Pandya, meanwhile, has found it difficult to find form over the last year or so, be it in IPL or for India.
Of course, Hardik plays the role of a finisher, which is a high-risk high-reward role, as indicated by his dangerously high strike rate.
But as he has struggled lately, someone like Iyer would have been a safer bet.