"I am really looking forward to seeing the way Hardik leads" - Ravi Shastri on Hardik Pandya as skipper

Ravi Shastri is keen to see how Hardik Pandya captains Team India in the T20I series against New Zealand.

Pandya is leading the 16-member Indian squad in the game's shortest format in the absence of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul. The first game of the three-match series was abandoned due to rain on November 18, with the remaining two matches to be played on Sunday and Tuesday.

During a discussion on Prime Video, Shastri was asked about his views on Pandya as India's T20I skipper for the tour. He responded:

"I am really looking forward to seeing the way Hardik leads. He has got the flamboyance, he has got the exuberance. That will reflect on the players in the team. I remember when Kapil Dev was captain."

The former Indian head coach feels an impact player as the captain motivates the rest of the team members. He elaborated:

"When you have an impact player or an all-rounder, a player who is in the thick of action right through those 20 overs, it makes a massive difference. It lifts the spirits of the others, they want to emulate him."

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Hardik Pandya had led India in three T20Is before Friday's game, two against Ireland and one against the West Indies. The Men in Blue emerged victorious in all three of those games.

"The proof of the pudding is in the eating" - Murali Kartik on Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya led the Gujarat Titans to the IPL 2022 title. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Murali Kartik was asked about his views on Pandya emerging as a natural successor to take over India's captaincy. He replied:

"Everywhere the proof of the pudding is in the eating and the way he led the Gujarat Titans and the maturity which he has shown every time he has led India. Obviously, he is a changed man."

The former Indian spinner highlighted that Pandya's growing maturity has held him in good stead. He stated:

"We have seen the Hardik Pandya who was quite impetuous when he came on. Now he is a lot more settled in what he wants to do and just the way the team has reacted around him, all the bigger stars have reacted around him."

Hardik Pandya said - "The roadmap for 2024 T20 World Cup starts now".

Kartik concluded by observing that while it might not yet be time for India to push the reset button, considering some established players are not part of the series, others have done exceptionally well whenever they have gotten a chance.