After Axar's promotion, T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav assures Hardik Pandya remains "part of leading group"

Hardik served as Suryakumar's deputy in the T20Is, but Axar Patel's recent promotion saw the star all-rounder going down in the pecking order in the leadership structure.

Even with the recent shift, Suryakumar assured he shares a good relationship with Hardik. He also revealed that Hardik is "always around" in discussions and remains a key member of India's T20I leadership group.

"The relationship with him has been really great. We've been playing [together] for a really long time. I still remember that from 2018, when I went back to Mumbai Indians [we first played together] and [it's the same] till today. It's just that the added responsibility that I've got [here]. When we go back to franchise cricket, I can get to be quiet and relax for a little bit," Suryakumar said in the pre-match press conference on the eve of the first T20I against England.

The explosive Indian captain spilt beans about the reason behind handing Axar with the added responsibility. Axar's belligerent performance during India's T20 World Cup 2024 success in Barbados was compelling enough to promote him to the vice-captaincy role.

"But we've been good friends on the field, and we know what we want going forward with the India team. Axar has been given that added responsibility. We saw what he did in the 2024 T20 World Cup, he's been with the team for a very long time. At the same time, Hardik is also part of the leading group. When we sit, we decide what we want to do with the team going forward and even on the field, he is always around. We have a lot of captains on the ground," he added. '

India's squad for the T20I series against England: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (VC), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (WK). (ANI)