Former wicketkeeper batter Dinesh Kartik seemed clueless after Hardik Pandya got sacked from his vice captain responsibilities from the 5-match T20 series against England. Pandya walked in as the captain after India's defeat in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal. From there, Pandya led India in 16 matches, winning 11 of them. Rohit Sharma then returned to the side prior to the 2024 T20 World Cup and took back the captaincy, finally winning the tournament. Thereafter he retired, but the captaincy was then passed on to Suryakumar Yadav. He led the team in South Africa right after the World Cup win and got the captaincy against England at home. Speaking about Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Kartik spoke to Cricbuzz, saying that he is shocked to see Pandya not retained. He said, “I really don’t know. I don’t know why he (Hardik) was stripped of his vice-captaincy. I don’t see any reason to. They have done well. They have won in the bilaterals that he was the vice-captain. Not a clue." BCCI has announced the squad for the 5-match T20 series against England. Hardik Pandya was not even selected as the vice captain, but Axar Patel. Also read: Shami Set to Return and Lead India's Pace Attack BCCI needs someone who is more available In the aftermath of Rohit Sharma's retirement from T20 internationals following India's T20 World Cup 2024 triumph, there was widespread speculation that Hardik Pandya would be given the captaincy. However, in a surprising move, the selectors opted for Suryakumar Yadav as the new leader, leaving Pandya out of the vice-captaincy role as well. Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar clarified that the decision was based on the need for a captain who could be consistently available for the team. While the leadership role eludes him, Pandya has continued to prove his worth on the field. His performance in India’s 3-0 win over Bangladesh in October 2024, where he was named Player of the Series, demonstrated his crucial all-round skills. Despite not being at the helm, Pandya’s contributions remain integral to India’s success, highlighting his value as one of the most versatile players in modern cricket.