Suryakumar Yadav to captain Team India in T20Is against Sri Lanka, Hardik Pandya snubbed
Suryakumar Yadav has been named the T20 captain of Team India for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. Yadav is replacing Rohit Sharma, who announced his international retirement from the format after the T20 World Cup. Shubman Gill, who led the team in the recent Zimbabwe tour, has been named vice-captain.
End of the road for Hardik Pandya
The elevation of Yadav as captain came as a surprise to many, as all-rounder Hardik Pandya was assumed to be Sharma's successor. Pandya was the vice-captain of the T20 World Cup-winning squad and also bowled the historic last over in the final against South Africa. The 30-year-old was also the vice-captain in the 50-over World Cup last year before an injury sidelined him.
Also read:?Rohit Sharma makes playful comment on Suryakumar Yadav's catch in T20 World Cup Final
Why SKY was chosen over Pandya
Despite his performances with both bat and ball, Pandya has struggled to feature consistently in the Indian team due to frequent injuries. He played only 46 out of the 79 T20I games from January 1, 2022. According to reports, chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and Team India coach Gautam Gambhir discussed this issue with Pandya on Tuesday and conveyed that a long-term option in Yadav was being considered. While Pandya is included in the T20 squad, he has opted out of the ODIs due to personal reasons.
Also read:?Hardik Pandya's 'Thor moment' at Wankhede leaves Jasprit Bumrah in splits
Previously, Yadav led India to a 4-1 win over Australia in a T20I series last November and followed it up with a 1-1 draw in South Africa.
T20I Squad for Sri Lanka
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, Mohammad Siraj.
The first T20 International will be held on July 27, followed by games on July 28 and 30. All the matches will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
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