MUMBAI: Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar reckons that Hardik Pandya can stake claim for leadership role in one-dayers too after the World Cup this year, provided his side emerges victorious against Australia in the first ODI here on Friday. With regular skipper Rohit Sharma set to miss the first ODI at the Wankhede Stadium due to family commitments, Hardik has been named the stand-in captain for the contest.

The 29-year-old all-rounder is already the incumbent leader for India in the shortest format. Gavaskar told Star Sports, “I have been very impressed with his captaincy at the T20 level for Gujarat Titans and for India when he is captaining the T20 side. I do believe that if he wins the first game in Mumbai, then you can almost stamp him as the India captain once the World Cup is over.”

Gavaskar said Hardik’s presence in the middle-order is essential for India. “He can be an impact player as well as a game changer in the middle-order. Even for the Gujarat team, he was promoting himself up the order knowing that this is the time when the team needed some momentum and push, and he would do that,” Gavaskar said. “So, someone who is prepared to take on responsibility, lead from the front, and who will not ask the players to do something that he wants to do himself, is highly crucial,” Gavaskar said.

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