Suryakumar to Lead Indian T20 Squad to Sri Lanka, Rohit, Virat Back in ODI
NEW DELHI, July 17: Bypassing Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav has been anointed as Rohit Sharma’s successor as captain of the Indian squad to play T20Is against Sri Lanka later this month while Rohit and Virat Kohli have made themselves available for the ODI leg of India’s forthcoming limited overs series in the island nation.
The transition — with Hardik Pandya being overlooked from the leadership group for the shortest format — is significant considering the tour will be Gautam Gambhir’s first official assignment as India men’s head coach. Jasprit Bumrah does not figure in either of the squads.
The national selection committee, chaired by Ajit Agarkar, met online on Tuesday evening to finalise the squad ahead of the T20I squad’s departure on July 22. While the hour-long meeting is understood to have been a cordial affair, the last three days were eventful.
Lanky pacer Harshit Rana and middle-order bat Riyan Parag — who debuted in T20Is in Zimbabwe — have earned maiden call-ups in ODIs while Shreyas Iyer will feature in India’s blues for the first time since being stripped off the BCCI contract. “The BCCI will continue to monitor player availability and participation in the upcoming domestic cricket season” noted the BCCI statement.
Gambhir and Agarkar reached out to Rohit and Kohli — who were supposed to take a break from the Sri Lanka ODIs — and convinced the duo to join the squad in Sri Lanka. With India set to play only six ODIs, including the three in Sri Lanka in August, before the next year’s Champions Trophy, the veterans’ presence will be crucial to plan for the next stern test.
A lot of drama, however, unfolded during a conference call with Hardik on Monday. Considering Hardik’s fitness concerns, form on the wane and his “unimpressive strategising” during the 16 T20Is he led India in between the last two T20 World Cups, the selectors and Gambhir wanted a change.
The move came as a surprise to Hardik along with a section of BCCI officials who assumed that with the all-rounder being Rohit’s deputy for the triumphant T20 World Cup, he will be elevated to the permanent T20Is captaincy.
However, Gambhir is understood to have strongly favoured Suryakumar getting the nod ahead of Hardik and Rishabh Pant, whose name was also discussed. Having led India in seven T20Is last year, Suryakumar is no stranger to captaincy. But the maverick batter’s mettle will be tested in the lead-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup on home soil. Hardik — who has been asked to feature in all the domestic limited overs’ tournaments — was also replaced as vice-captain by Shubman Gill.
Gambhir’s footprint was also evident in Rana’s selection for the ODIs. The Delhi pacer was a star act in Kolkata Knight Riders’ title run in IPL 2024, with Gambhir as the team mentor.
The Squads:
T20I Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohd. Siraj.
ODI Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.
(Manas Dasgupta)
