It has to go down as one of the moments of the T20 World Cup. It actually came after the final ball had been delivered, after victory had been snatched (by India) and defeat courted (by South Africa). It transpired after tears were shed, after hugs and high fives were exchanged, after the shock of a heist was slowly replaced by the euphoria of being crowned World champions.
It’s not an uncommon sight, especially in football. Generally, it happens when a player has scored a crucial goal – a scything run through the defence, or an equaliser at a vital time – or when the goalkeeper has pulled off a spectacular save, close-range or off a penalty kick. In cricket, not so much. In Indian cricket, almost unheard of.
We are referring, of course, to the kiss Rohit Sharma planted on Hardik Pandya’s cheek, not long after the latter had expertly closed out the final over of the T20 World Cup final at the Kensington Oval. In itself, it was huge, the ultimate show of thanksgiving and affection from the captain to his deputy. The subtext which preceded it lent it greater meaning and import; if Hardik hadn’t already traversed the spectrum from Villain No. 1 to an unquestioned hero after his death-over heroics, he was now back in public favour. Thanks in no small measure to his wonderful captain.
India players celebrate their win against South Africa in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final.
| Photo Credit:
DEEPAK KR
Electric undercurrents
Things have been a little tense beyond the ambit of the Indian dressing room for about six months now, since Hardik supplanted Rohit as the captain of the Mumbai Indians franchise ahead of IPL 2024. It wasn’t a popular move, it didn’t go down well with the numerous fans of either MI or Gujarat Titans, who Hardik led with aplomb for two years, or of Rohit, affable and well-liked and with five IPL titles under his belt as captain.
Rohit had taken over the captaincy of the franchise from Ricky Ponting in the middle of a stuttering 2013 campaign, and immediately turned his team’s fortunes around by leading them to the title that same year. That sparked a remarkable run of successes in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020, when Rohit became the only captain after Mahendra Singh Dhoni to successfully defend the IPL title. Tactically astute and blessed with exceptional man-management and leadership skills, Rohit was the peoples’ captain.
It wasn’t so much the fact that MI snatched away the captaincy from Rohit than how they did it that rankled the fans. If Rohit was party to that momentous decision, it hasn’t wended its way into public consciousness. MI had sound reasons to look beyond Rohit, also the Indian cross-format captain at the time who had just played a stellar individual role in his side’s march to the 50-over World Cup final at home. After all, they had the future to consider, and a mega auction was due ahead of the 2025 season. In Hardik, a prodigal son who had steered GT to the title in their maiden appearance and taken them to the final the following year, MI saw the perfect candidate to step into Rohit’s shoes. Hardik is both an excellent captain and a brand on his own, so it made cricketing and marketing sense to rope him in. The problem is, no one seemed to have told Rohit that.
Hardik had a terrible IPL. Terrible cricket-wise – 216 runs from 14 innings, highest of 46, and 11 wickets at an economy of 10.75 – but otherwise too. His team stumbled from one defeat to another, bringing up the foot of the table with just four wins from 14 outings. At various times, it looked like a disjointed bunch of individuals, though Rohit was nothing if not the consummate team man.
The deposal must have stung, especially because it came without warning, but he put that disappointment aside to finish with 417 runs at a strike-rate of 150, his highest in 17 years of the tournament. Often banished to the outfield, his tactical inputs were minimal to none, but even he wouldn’t have been unmoved by the fury unleashed on Hardik across the country.
Public enemy
When he returned to Ahmedabad as MI skipper, the all-rounder was roundly booed. It was initially construed as franchise-loyalty finding resonance; after all, their captain of the two previous seasons had made a deal with the ‘enemy’. But as MI went to Hyderabad and Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata, the boos just wouldn’t stop. Most damagingly, Hardik was greeted with jeers in his own backyard, at the Wankhede Stadium, where MI would play seven home games. Sanjay Manjrekar once chided the Mumbai fans, asking them to ‘behave’ themselves, but they were having none of it. With reason or without, Hardik was installed as the culprit, the main reason for Rohit’s ouster. It wasn’t a good look on anyone.
Through it all, Hardik put on a brave face. By nature, he is effervescent and ebullient, full of life and vigour and vim. Sometimes, he treads the line between carefree and careless dangerously, but his sunny disposition is not a put-on. He must have seriously been hurt by what he felt was unfair treatment, but through it all, he maintained a studied silence while remaining outwardly cheerful and breezy. Only he must have known what he was going through, seemingly isolated from the larger, experienced bunch and living a nightmare all by himself.
The dynamics were further addled by the fact that he would be Rohit’s deputy at the T20 World Cup. How would this work out? Would there be residual tension, if not outright bad blood? How would Rohit handle Hardik? How would Hardik react to playing under someone for the country whom he had captained at his franchise? Would that impact India’s campaign?
Fact is, Rohit and Pandya have been around long enough, the former far longer than the latter, to be working at cross purposes. In a way, they both had been put in impossible situations by their franchise, but when it came to India, that was a closed chapter. There was unfinished business to tend to, a World Cup to win. Rohit isn’t the vindictive, grudge-carrying kind; he is a giver, as his teammates will readily attest, and he gave Pandya space. Confidence. Belief. Respect. He gave him freedom, and he gave him responsibility. And look at how Pandya repaid the faith.
Smart move
Rohit used Hardik superbly at the World Cup, holding him back till the last few overs when the right-hander could bat with undiluted freedom. He summoned his heavy medium-pace at key moments, realising that the latter’s smarts, intelligence and skills could be handy at different stages of an innings depending on the pitch, the opponents, the pressure being imposed by the other bowlers. In both their corners was a solid older brother-like presence, someone who has had first-hand experience of being sucked into a battle of someone else’s making. Rahul Dravid’s calming, stabilising, erudite presence comprehensively scuttled even rumours of a dressing room divided.
Hardik responded to being the vice-captain with aplomb. He took a little while to work his way into the tournament, but once he found his feet, he performed like the pivotal cog in the wheel he was always going to be. At No. 5 and 6, he was the buffer between the top-order and his fellow all-rounders, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja; as the third or fourth pacer, he could slip in overs unnoticed while always posing a wicket-taking threat because he has great faith in his short ball.
To no one’s surprise, Hardik boasted the highest average by an Indian, 48.00, aided by three not outs in six innings. His strike-rate of 151.57 was second only to Rohit’s 156.70 of all batters who faced at least 25 balls. He also finished with 11 wickets – behind Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah – and his economy of 7.64 was impressive, any which way one looked at it.
Changing their perception
To say that he sang the redemption song during the exciting climax of the final against South Africa will be a touch unfair because Hardik didn’t need to redeem himself; he had done nothing to put himself in that position. But with his last two overs of the World Cup, the 17th and 20th of South Africa’s chase, Hardik forced the fans to change their perception. Not by design, because that’s not why he plays the game, but through his performances.
Alive to the reality that the only way India could stop South Africa was by imposing heavy pressure either through wickets or dot balls, Rohit held his fifth bowler back until he couldn’t any longer. So Hardik came on with Heinrich Klaasen on the rampage and South Africa needing 26 off 24. With his first delivery, he forced Klaasen to edge to Rishabh Pant, a massive moment that was to spark the Indian fightback. Hardik conceded only four in that over, one of the reasons why he had a healthy 16 to defend in the final over. David Miller dismissed first ball, to a stunning catch by Suryakumar Yadav, Kagiso Rabada packed off the fifth ball, caught far more easily by the same fielder. India home and dry by seven runs, the vice-captain finishing with three for 20.
Hence, but not only because of that, the Rohit cheek-peck. It was almost the passing of the captaincy baton. Rohit knows Indian cricket is in safe hands, never mind how Mumbai Indians might be.