The inclusion of Gill in the squad has raised doubts in the minds of management about who will open the innings for their side, along with left-hand batter Abhishek, in the tournament.
MI opener Ishan Kishan highlighted Indian fans' tendency to recognise the hard work of a cricketer, irrespective of their personal feelings towards one.
Styris did not have any doubt over Pandya's talent but the Kiwi wanted him to infuse more consistency into his performances.
India thrashed Malaysia 4-1 in their second Super 4 stage match of the men's Asia Cup hockey tournament in Rajgir, Bihar, on Thursday.
After being overlooked for the India T20I captaincy, Hardik Pandya's leadership future at Mumbai Indians looks to be on shaky ground.
Pandya's quickfire fifty (50 runs off 27 balls) along with contributions from Virat Kohli (37), Rishabh Pant (36) and Shivam Dube (34) helped India reach 196 for 5 after they were put in to bat.
This is the first-ever India vs Pakistan final across 17 editions of the Men's Asia Cup since the tournament's inception in 1984.
Hardik Pandya's commitment towards Indian cricket has been questionable over the years with someone like Jasprit Bumrah being more capable of playing the role of Rohit Sharma's deputy in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Americas, reckoned Mumbai Indians skipper's bete noire Irfan Pathan on Wednesday.
Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar reportedly opposed Pandya's World Cup selection due to his form and injuries. However, they allegedly conceded 'under pressure', hinting at the BCCI leadership's strong backing of Pandya as the future T20 leader.
'Just as Cricket Australia manages Mitchell Starc's workload to preserve him for key series and tournaments, the BCCI should ensure that our premier fast bowler is preserved for the most important contests.'
The BCCI press conference scheduled at 1.30pm in Mumbai is 'expected to be delayed owing to weather disruptions'.
Former India stumper Parthiv Patel on Thursday said Hardik Pandya will be under tremendous pressure while leading Mumbai Indians in the upcoming IPL but termed his appointment as captain "a well thought-out decision" by the franchise.
The Indians finished Pool A engagements with an all-win record, beating China 4-3, Japan 3-2 before demolishing minnows Kazakhstan 15-0 on Monday.
As India gears up to face Oman on Friday, September 19, at the Dubai international stadium, the focus returns to cricket.
Well-rounded training session suggests Pandya is working on all aspects of his game to be a key contributor for India.
Striker Abhishek struck a brace as a dominant Indian men's hockey team outplayed China 7-0 in their last Super 4s match to reach the final of the Asia Cup
Praveen Kumar expressed his opinion that prioritising the IPL over domestic commitments could be detrimental.
'As much as we may want, unka number itni aasani se nahi aayega (It's not going to be easy for Rahul)'
After wrapping up the ODI series with a smashing win, the Indian team earned a well-deserved night out.
Who has scored the most runs in Asia Cup? Who has taken the most wickets?
Hardik Pandya is yet to recover from the ankle injury suffered during World Cup 2023.
Former India pacer S Sreesanth on Friday backed Hardik Pandya's selection in the T20 World Cup squad, saying the all-rounder's presence alongside Virat Kohli will make for a "great combination" when chasing tricky totals.
'Jaiswal has an avg of 36 & a strike rate of 164 in T20Is and he got dropped for Gill who has avg of 30 and a strike rate of 139.' 'There is no place for merit anymore.'
Shubman Gill enjoyed a phenomenal run with the bat in England, piling up 754 runs at an average of 75.40 with four centuries.
'If you consider Parag for captaincy, how do you expect Samson to stay?'
But in their pursuit of glory, both leaders must find a way to address the issues at hand.
Trading Cameron Green to RCB enabled MI to sign Hardik.
'We think he is a deserving captain and we will see how he fits into the role.'
As always, HP looked dapper as he soaked in the sun and enjoyed delicious looking bowls of food.
Hardik Pandya will be booed louder in Mumbai but his temperament is impressive: Manoj Tiwary
Australian star batter Steve Smith has advised Hardik Pandya to simply "block out" the constant jeers and boos the new Mumbai Indians skipper is receiving from spectators at the IPL so far, as they are "all irrelevant".
One can't say with a degree of certainty that Rinku Singh is an automatic choice going into the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next year.
'Hardik has spent a lot of time away from the game, building his body back up.'
Very emotional after the last six months: Hardik Pandya after India's T20 WC win
Pandya recounted the beginning of his Indian Premier League (IPL) journey in 2015 when Mumbai Indians secured him for a modest Rs 10 lakh
Suryakumar offers a more dependable option. Despite being 33, his fitness record inspires confidence.
Parthiv compared Rohit's leadership with CSK talisman Dhoni, saying the Mumbai cricketer never "made a blunder"
Mumbai Indians felt Hardik Pandya was one for the future in place of Rohit, who at 36, is nearing the end of his career.
'Sanju was playing because Shubman and Yashasvi were not available at that point (and) so was Abhishek. (But) Abhishek's performances clearly make it hard to leave him out. Plus, his bowling (left arm spin) is handy.'
