The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a new era for its white-ball teams, naming Suryakumar Yadav as the captain of the T20I side for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. The explosive middle-order batsman, currently ranked No.2 in the ICC Men’s T20I Batting Rankings, will lead the team for the first time. Shubman Gill has been named the vice-captain for both the T20I and ODI squads.
Suryakumar Yadav previously captained India in the absence of key players during the T20I series against Australia and South Africa in 2023. This appointment marks his official captaincy debut and signifies a changing of the guard following the retirement of veteran players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja from the T20I format after their World Cup victory.
The T20I squad boasts a familiar core with several T20 World Cup heroes returning after missing the Zimbabwe series. Players like Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, and Axar Patel bolster the squad. Notably, Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the tour.
The upcoming series will also be the first assignment for Gautam Gambhir as India’s new white-ball coach, following Rahul Dravid’s departure after the T20 World Cup triumph.
Meanwhile, the ODI squad sees the return of experienced campaigners Rohit Sharma as captain and Virat Kohli. Youngsters like Riyan Parag, who impressed in the Zimbabwe series, and Harshit Rana, who shone in IPL 2024, have received call-ups. KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant will handle wicketkeeping duties for the ODIs, with Sanju Samson missing out on selection.
This tour to Sri Lanka marks a significant moment for Indian cricket, ushering in a new era for both the T20I and ODI teams.
Schedule
IND vs SL T20I series schedule
27 July: 1st T20I in Pallekele
28 July: 2nd T20I in Pallekele
30 July: 3rd T20I in Pallekele
IND vs SL ODI series schedule
2 August: 1st ODI Colombo
4 August: 2nd ODI Colombo
7 August: 3rd ODI Colombo
T20I Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Ꮪhubman 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, Mohammed 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.