Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has requested a break during the upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, opening up the captaincy role for either KL Rahul or Shubman Gill, as regular captain Rohit Sharma is also expected to miss the tour.
India’s tour of Sri Lanka will kick off with a three-match T20I series starting on July 27. Hardik Pandya, who was India’s vice-captain in T20Is under Rohit Sharma, will take over as captain in the shortest format. A senior BCCI source confirmed that Pandya is fully fit and ready to lead the team in the T20Is, which will take place from July 27 to 30 in Pallekele.
Following the T20Is, Pandya will take a break from the three-match ODI series scheduled from August 2 to 7 in Colombo. The decision to take a break is due to personal reasons, and Pandya has already communicated this to regular skipper Rohit Sharma. The BCCI source clarified that Pandya’s break is not due to any fitness issues.
With Rohit Sharma also taking a break, the captaincy for the ODI series is up for grabs. KL Rahul, who previously captained India in the ODI series against South Africa, and Shubman Gill, who recently led India to a 4-1 series win over Zimbabwe, are the frontrunners. Rahul, being the first-choice keeper-batter in ODIs, is a strong contender for the leadership role.
There is also a decision to be made regarding Pandya’s deputy for the T20I series. The likely candidates are Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav. Suryakumar, who led the team in T20Is against South Africa last year and had a successful stint as captain in the home series against Australia, is seen as a strong candidate for the vice-captaincy.
The Indian squad for the series against Sri Lanka is expected to be announced soon. The T20Is will run from July 27 to 30 in Pallekele, followed by the ODIs from August 2 to 7 in Colombo.
With a mix of experienced players taking breaks and emerging talents stepping up, India’s tour of Sri Lanka promises to be an exciting opportunity for new leaders to shine.
Notably, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja retired from T20 Internationals at the end of the World Cup, marking a period of transition and new leadership dynamics for the Indian team.
As the squad gears up for the series, fans eagerly await to see who will take the helm in the ODIs and how Hardik Pandya will lead the team in the T20Is.
