Team India enjoyed a generational run in T20I cricket from 2024 until last week in Ireland, winning 16 series in a row, which included a couple of T20 World Cups and an Asia Cup title. Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma and then Suryakumar Yadav, the ‘Men in Blue’ overcame their 2022 T20 World Cup demons with an unprecedented period of dominance. It is worth noting that Team India lost the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia with a crushing defeat to England in the semifinals. Following the defeat, the Indian top-order, which consisted of legends like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul, was questioned for their conservative approach towards batting. Not long ago, veteran sports anchor Vikrant Gupta revealed that senior all-rounder Hardik Pandya gave everyone a dressing-down in the Indian dressing room after the defeat. Vikrant Gupta added that in a way, it was Hardik Pandya who ushered in India’s fearless new approach to the 20-overs format.
Pandya was equally responsible for India’s changing approach, if not more than Rohit
While speaking exclusively to CREX on their show titled ‘Gen Z vs Boomer’, senior Sports Journalist Vikrant Gupta revealed what unfolded inside India’s dressing room after their shambolic 10-wicket loss to England in the semifinal of the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. As it happened, Indian opener KL Rahul fell for just five in the big game, while the then-captain Rohit Sharma scored a sluggish 27 off 28 balls. In-form, Virat Kohli could only add 50 runs after facing 40 deliveries, and it took a 33-ball 63-run blinder from Hardik Pandya to push India to a commendable 168-6 in 20 overs. Pandya’s blitzkrieg eventually went in vain as England openers Jos Buttler and Alex Hales mowed down India’s total with all 10 wickets and four overs intact in the game to storm into the final. Speaking to CREX on the Gen Z vs Boomer show, Vikrant Gupta said:
“Hardik Pandya gave every senior top-order batter an earful after the match, and urged them to shed their conservative mindset and start batting with far greater intent from the outset.”
Vikrant Gupta further added:
“Hardik Pandya asked every top-order batter to bat with greater intent, instead of leaving everything up to the lower order.”
Hardik Pandya was supposed to lead India till 2024, not Rohit:
Vikrant Gupta Vikrant Gupta further went on to reveal that although unpopular, Hardik Pandya’s criticism was taken in the right spirit by the BCCI, which also led to him becoming India’s T20I captain after the 2022 T20 World Cup. Vikrant stated that Hardik had become a strong candidate to lead Team India up until the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup. However, the team management and the selectors eventually decided to give Rohit Sharma an extended run in the format. Vikrant Gupta said:
“Hardik was supposed to be your captain till the 2024 T20 World Cup.”
Regardless, Team India did adopt the no-holds-barred approach as propagated by Hardik Pandya and went on to win the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean under the leadership of Rohit Sharma.
Video link: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4wLTs0ZHsHg
When Hardik lost the captaincy to SKY after Rohit Sharma's retirement
Interestingly, Hardik was also not handed the Team India captaincy after Rohit Sharma's retirement in 2024, with the selectors and the management opting for fellow Mumbai Indians pro Suryakumar Yadav instead. In any case, Suryakumar Yadav carried Rohit’s legacy and ensured India’s unbeaten series run lasted up until he was removed from the national squad in May 2026. Moreover, if India’s 2024 T20 World Cup was any indication of dominance, the ‘Men in Blue’ players became a force to reckon with at the 2026 event. In their last three matches of the tournament, including the semifinal and final, Indian batters mounted totals in excess of 250 on each occasion to reciprocate what Hardik Pandya once said in late 2022. Whether or not Pandya received the credit, Vikrant Gupta’s revelation suggests that one candid dressing-room speech may have altered the course of India’s T20I history forever.
Gen Z vs Boomer- A refreshing take on Cricket Consumption by CREX
This dressing room revelation highlights a massive shift in how cricket is discussed today, which is exactly what CREX’s new show, "Gen Z vs. Boomer," is all about. CREX has created a fiery debate series that pits old-school sports journalists directly against modern social media influencers. By locking these two generations in a room to debate everything from backstage politics to fast-paced game strategies, the show captures the real tension in modern sports culture.