As India all-rounder, Hardik Pandya remains a big talking point over the national team’s T20I captaincy and his unavailability for the ODI series against Sri Lanka, his wife Natasa Stankovic’s social media activity has also got fans talking. Hardik, who was expected to get India’s full-time T20I captaincy, could now lose the role to Suryakumar Yadav as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) remains unconvinced of his long-term fitness. Hardik has also reportedly confirmed his unavailability for the ODI series against Sri Lanka due to ‘personal reasons’. Amid this chatter, his wife Natasa seems to be flying home to Serbia with her son Agastya.
Taking to Instagram, Natasa shared pictures of her packing her bags. “It’s that time of the year,” read her story on the social media platform along with plane and house emojis.
Later, she was also spotted at the airport with her son Agastya while Hardik was nowhere to be seen.
Suryakumar Yadav Being ‘Preferred’ Over Hardik Pandya For T20I Captain
Suryakumar is expected to take over India’s T20I captaincy from Rohit Sharma, who recently led India to victory in the T20 World Cup before retiring from the format, along with veterans Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja.
Despite Hardik’s extensive captaincy experience—including leading India in three ODIs and 16 T20Is, as well as captaining Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians in the IPL—his recurring injuries have impacted his availability. Most recently, an ankle injury during the ODI World Cup in October 2023 sidelined him until IPL 2024. Since the start of 2022, Hardik has participated in only 46 out of India’s 79 T20Is.
Suryakumar Yadav brings a wealth of leadership experience, having captained Mumbai in domestic cricket and India in the T20I series against Australia and South Africa last year. His aggressive batting style aligns well with contemporary T20 cricket, making him a key player in India’s line-up.
The tour of Sri Lanka will also mark the beginning of Gautam Gambhir’s tenure as India’s head coach, taking over from Rahul Dravid after the T20 World Cup. This tour represents the first step in building the team for the next T20 World Cup, scheduled for 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
With IANS Inputs
