It has to go down as one of many moments of the T20 World Cup. It really got here after the ultimate ball had been delivered, after victory had been snatched (by India) and defeat courted (by South Africa). It transpired after tears have been shed, after hugs and excessive fives have been exchanged, after the shock of a heist was slowly changed by the euphoria of being topped World champions.

It’s not an unusual sight, particularly in soccer. Usually, it occurs when a participant has scored a vital aim – a scything run via the defence, or an equaliser at an important time – or when the goalkeeper has pulled off a spectacular save, close-range or off a penalty kick. In cricket, not a lot. In Indian cricket, nearly unprecedented.

We’re referring, after all, to the kiss Rohit Sharma planted on Hardik Pandya’s cheek, not lengthy after the latter had expertly closed out the ultimate over of the T20 World Cup remaining on the Kensington Oval. In itself, it was enormous, the last word present of thanksgiving and affection from the captain to his deputy. The subtext which preceded it lent it larger that means 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 again in public favour. Thanks in no small measure to his fantastic captain.

Electrical undercurrents

Issues have been a little bit tense past the ambit of the Indian dressing room for about six months now, since Hardik supplanted Rohit because the captain of the Mumbai Indians franchise forward of IPL 2024. It wasn’t a preferred transfer, it didn’t go down effectively with the quite a few followers of both MI or Gujarat Titans, who Hardik led with aplomb for 2 years, or of Rohit, affable and well-liked and with 5 IPL titles beneath his belt as captain.

Rohit had taken over the captaincy of the franchise from Ricky Ponting in the midst of a stuttering 2013 marketing campaign, and instantly turned his staff’s fortunes round by main them to the title that very same 12 months. That sparked a exceptional run of successes in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020, when Rohit turned the one captain after Mahendra Singh Dhoni to efficiently defend the IPL title. Tactically astute and blessed with distinctive man-management and management abilities, Rohit was the peoples’ captain.

It wasn’t a lot the truth that MI snatched away the captaincy from Rohit than how they did it that rankled the followers. If Rohit was social gathering to that momentous resolution, it hasn’t wended its method into public consciousness. MI had sound causes to look past Rohit, additionally the Indian cross-format captain on the time who had simply performed a stellar particular person function in his aspect’s march to the 50-over World Cup remaining at residence. In spite of everything, that they had the long run to contemplate, and a mega public sale was due forward of the 2025 season. In Hardik, a prodigal son who had steered GT to the title of their maiden look and brought them to the ultimate the next 12 months, MI noticed the proper candidate to step into Rohit’s sneakers. Hardik is each a wonderful captain and a model on his personal, so it made cricketing and advertising sense to rope him in. The issue is, nobody appeared to have informed Rohit that.

Hardik had a horrible IPL. Horrible cricket-wise – 216 runs from 14 innings, highest of 46, and 11 wickets at an economic system of 10.75 – however in any other case too. His staff stumbled from one defeat to a different, mentioning the foot of the desk with simply 4 wins from 14 outings. At varied instances, it regarded like a disjointed bunch of people, although Rohit was nothing if not the consummate staff man.

The deposal will need to have stung, particularly as a result of it got here with out warning, however he put that disappointment apart to complete with 417 runs at a strike-rate of 150, his highest in 17 years of the match. Usually banished to the outfield, his tactical inputs have been minimal to none, however even he wouldn’t have been unmoved by the fury unleashed on Hardik throughout the nation.

Public enemy

When he returned to Ahmedabad as MI skipper, the all-rounder was roundly booed. It was initially construed as franchise-loyalty discovering resonance; in any case, their captain of the 2 earlier seasons had made a cope with the ‘enemy’. However as MI went to Hyderabad and Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata, the boos simply wouldn’t cease. Most damagingly, Hardik was greeted with jeers in his personal yard, on the Wankhede Stadium, the place MI would play seven residence video games. Sanjay Manjrekar as soon as chided the Mumbai followers, asking them to ‘behave’ themselves, however they have been having none of it. With motive or with out, Hardik was put in because the perpetrator, the primary motive for Rohit’s ouster. It wasn’t a very good look on anybody.

By means of all of it, Hardik placed on a courageous face. By nature, he’s effervescent and ebullient, lively and vigour and vim. Typically, he treads the road between carefree and careless dangerously, however his sunny disposition shouldn’t be a put-on. He will need to have severely been harm by what he felt was unfair remedy, however via all of it, he maintained a studied silence whereas remaining outwardly cheerful and breezy. Solely he will need to have recognized what he was going via, seemingly remoted from the bigger, skilled bunch and residing a nightmare all by himself.

The dynamics have been additional addled by the truth that he could be Rohit’s deputy on the T20 World Cup. How would this work out? Would there be residual pressure, if not outright dangerous blood? How would Rohit deal with Hardik? How would Hardik react to taking part in beneath somebody for the nation whom he had captained at his franchise? Would that impression India’s marketing campaign?

Truth is, Rohit and Pandya have been round lengthy sufficient, the previous far longer than the latter, to be working at cross functions. In a method, they each had been put in unattainable conditions by their franchise, however when it got here to India, that was a closed chapter. There was unfinished enterprise to are inclined to, a World Cup to win. Rohit isn’t the vindictive, grudge-carrying sort; he’s a giver, as his teammates will readily attest, and he gave Pandya house. Confidence. Perception. Respect. He gave him freedom, and he gave him duty. And take a look at how Pandya repaid the religion.

Good transfer

Rohit used Hardik fantastically on the World Cup, holding him again until the previous couple of overs when the right-hander might bat with undiluted freedom. He summoned his heavy medium-pace at key moments, realising that the latter’s smarts, intelligence and abilities may very well be useful at completely different phases of an innings relying on the pitch, the opponents, the stress being imposed by the opposite bowlers. In each their corners was a strong older brother-like presence, somebody who has had first-hand expertise of being sucked right into a battle of another person’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 short time to work his method into the match, however as soon as he discovered his toes, he carried out just like the pivotal cog within the wheel he was at all times 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; because the third or fourth pacer, he might slip in overs unnoticed whereas at all times posing a wicket-taking menace as a result of he has nice religion in his brief ball.

To nobody’s shock, Hardik boasted the best common by an Indian, 48.00, aided by three not outs in six innings. His strike-rate of 151.57 was second solely to Rohit’s 156.70 of all batters who confronted no less than 25 balls. He additionally completed with 11 wickets – behind Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah – and his economic system of seven.64 was spectacular, any which method one checked out it.

Altering their notion

To say that he sang the redemption track throughout the thrilling climax of the ultimate towards South Africa can be a contact unfair as a result of Hardik didn’t must redeem himself; he had performed nothing to place himself in that place. However together with his final two overs of the World Cup, the seventeenth and twentieth of South Africa’s chase, Hardik compelled the followers to alter their notion. Not by design, as a result of that’s not why he performs the sport, however via his performances.

Alive to the truth that the one method India might cease South Africa was by imposing heavy stress both via wickets or dot balls, Rohit held his fifth bowler again till he couldn’t any longer. So Hardik got here on with Heinrich Klaasen on the rampage and South Africa needing 26 off 24. Together with his first supply, he compelled Klaasen to edge to Rishabh Pant, a large second that was to spark the Indian fightback. Hardik conceded solely 4 in that over, one of many the explanation why he had a wholesome 16 to defend within the remaining over. David Miller dismissed first ball, to a surprising catch by Suryakumar Yadav, Kagiso Rabada packed off the fifth ball, caught way more simply by the identical fielder. India residence and dry by seven runs, the vice-captain ending with three for 20.

Therefore, however not solely due to that, the Rohit cheek-peck. It was nearly the passing of the captaincy baton. Rohit is aware of Indian cricket is in protected palms, by no means thoughts how Mumbai Indians could be.