Suryakumar Yadav set to pip Hardik Pandya, emerges as darkish horse for India’s T20I captaincy | Cricket Information – Occasions of India

NEW DELHI: Suryakumar Yadav, the dynamic batsman, has unexpectedly emerged as a robust contender to guide India’s T20 staff till the 2026 World Cup, doubtlessly surpassing Hardik Pandya, who was beforehand thought-about the pure alternative for the place.
Regardless of Pandya’s availability for the upcoming T20I collection towards Sri Lanka, it has come to mild that Suryakumar, who led India in eight T20Is towards Australia and South Africa within the earlier 12 months, is the favoured alternative of the newly appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir and the chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar.
It’s understood that Gambhir and Agarkar had a dialogue with Pandya earlier within the night, explaining the choice to finalise a long-term possibility to make sure stability inside the staff.
The T20 captaincy place grew to become obtainable following Rohit Sharma‘s retirement from worldwide cricket within the shortest format after India’s triumphant World Cup marketing campaign within the West Indies final month.
Pandya, a key contributor to that victory, shall be absent from the three-match ODI collection towards Sri Lanka attributable to “private causes”.
The T20I collection is scheduled from July 27 to 30 in Pallekele, adopted by the ODIs from August 2 to 7 in Colombo. The squad announcement for the collection is anticipated within the coming days.
“Hardik Pandya was India’s T2O vice-captain beneath Rohit Sharma. He’s fully match and obtainable for the three-match T20I collection and was supposed to guide the aspect however there’s a very robust feeling that SKY could be the potential chief not just for the Sri Lanka collection however until the 2026 World Cup,” a senior BCCI supply instructed PTI on situations of anonymity.
“Hardik’s break from ODIs is for very private causes. He does not have any health situation as is being prompt within the media,” the official stated.
Suryakumar, aged 33, is taken into account some of the well-liked people inside the Indian cricket staff. His rise to prominence as a T20 participant occurred throughout his stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders, the place he performed beneath the management of Gautam Gambhir, who gave him the moniker ‘SKY’.
Though Hardik Pandya was seen because the pure option to succeed Rohit Sharma, a number of elements have influenced the decision-making course of. His lackluster efficiency because the captain of the Mumbai Indians, coupled with the selectors’ unwillingness to permit him to select and select his assignments, has impacted his possibilities.
The selectors are open to the concept of Pandya collaborating within the Vijay Hazare Trophy this season to realize some expertise within the 50-over format.
Concerning the ODIs, an official confirmed that Pandya has requested go away and has already knowledgeable Rohit, who can be taking a break from this collection.
For the ODI collection, KL Rahul, who led the staff within the earlier collection in South Africa, and Shubman Gill are the frontrunners for the management position.
Thrust on home availability
Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary, has emphasised the significance of star cricketers collaborating in home tournaments when they aren’t engaged in nationwide staff commitments. Nonetheless, he talked about that gamers comparable to Rohit, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah shall be exempted from this requirement.
The BCCI is eager on having the remaining Take a look at specialists participate in no less than one or two Duleep Trophy matches scheduled for August. This participation is seen as a preparation for the upcoming Take a look at collection towards Bangladesh and New Zealand.
“This time there isn’t a zonal choice committee for Duleep Trophy. Solely the nationwide choice committee will choose Duleep groups.
“All Take a look at staff contenders shall be picked. For Rohit, Virat and Bumrah, will probably be their alternative in the event that they need to play or not,” the supply added.