Hardik Pandya vacationing after IPL 2024 exit, to join Indian camp in USA for T20 WC directly - Reports

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya will be India’s vice-captain in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

The majority of the Indian cricket team players and staff departed from Mumbai for New York on Saturday for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. However, vice-captain Hardik Pandya did not board the flight. He is, instead, reportedly on vacation currently outside India.

Cricbuzz has reported that Pandya has been on vacation “in an undisclosed location overseas” ever since his Indian Premier League (IPL) side Mumbai Indians’ (MI) disastrous campaign in the IPL 2024 ended. Under new skipper Hardik Pandya, the five-time champions Mumbai Indians suffered a bottom-place finish, managing only four wins in 14 games.

Hardik Pandya to join Team India’s first practice session in New York

Team India will play all of their group fixtures of the T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA. India’s first match is scheduled against Ireland in New York on June 5.

The Cricbuzz report confirmed that Pandya will land in New York on Sunday afternoon Eastern Time and will join the rest of the Indian team.

The 30-year-old senior India all-rounder took this mini-vacation after having a forgettable IPL 2024 campaign. Not only did MI finish at the bottom of the points table, but also Hardik didn’t do anything noteworthy with the bat, scoring 216 runs at an average of only 18. However, he did show good bowling form and fitness by taking 11 wickets.

Hardik was severely booed by the fans during the IPL 2024, especially at the Wankhede Stadium as the fans expressed their displeasure at the all-rounder replacing Rohit Sharma as the MI skipper ahead of the IPL 2024 season.

After leading Rohit Sharma in the IPL this year, Hardik will now play under the 37-year-old and will be his deputy at the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies.

Meanwhile, the players who left for New York on May 25 are Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and substitutes Shubman Gill and Khaleel Ahmed. It has been learned that Virat Kohli has sought permission from the board to join the squad late.

Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Avesh Khan departed on the next flight as they were involved in the Eliminator and Qualifier 2. Rinku Singh, who will play for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the final, will leave after the final in Chennai.

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