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Team India is preparing for their next assignment as they are set to travel to Sri Lanka for an important series, which includes three T20Is starting on August 27, followed by three ODIs beginning on August 3. This series will also be the beginning of Gautam Gambhir's tenure as the head coach of the team. On the day of the squad selection, Gambhir is expected to make a big announcement regarding the T20I captaincy.
Suryakumar Yadav vs Hardik Pandya
While Hardik Pandya was the favorite to take over the captaincy after Rohit Sharma's retirement, it appears that Suryakumar Yadav has now emerged as a strong contender.
According to several reports, Suryakumar Yadav is set to captain India in the T20I series against Sri Lanka. Hardik Pandya, who was the vice-captain during the T20 World Cup and led India in several T20 matches from 2022 to 2023, was widely expected to be named captain. However, despite Pandya's experience and previous leadership roles, it seems that Suryakumar Yadav will be given the captaincy nod for this series.
The ESPN Cricinfo report suggests that Gautam Gambhir and the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee have decided not to appoint Hardik Pandya as captain due to his recurring injury issues and workload management problems. Pandya recently missed nearly six months of action after being injured during a World Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh. He previously suffered a back injury in 2021 and faced prolonged difficulties with bowling. These persistent injury concerns led Gambhir to choose Suryakumar Yadav, seeking more stability for the team. In fact, a report by PTI indicates that Suryakumar Yadav will not only lead the Indian side in the T20I series against Sri Lanka but will also be the captain for the T20 World Cup 2026. If this happens, he will become India's fourth permanent captain in T20Is.
"Hardik Pandya was India's T20 vice-captain under Rohit Sharma. He is completely fit and available for the three-match T20I series and was supposed to lead the side but there is a very strong feeling that SKY would be the potential leader not only for the Sri Lanka series but till the 2026 World Cup," the source added.
According to a report by PTI, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed Hardik Pandya about a significant decision regarding the captaincy. In related news, Pandya will be unable to participate in the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka due to personal reasons. However, he is still expected to be part of the T20I squad for the same series.
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