Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir addressed key questions in a press conference ahead of India’s tour of Sri Lanka. One major topic was the appointment of the new T20I captain after Rohit Sharma retired from the format following India’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 victory.
With Rohit stepping down, many expected Hardik Pandya, who was Rohit’s deputy, to take over as captain. However, the selectors chose Suryakumar Yadav instead. Agarkar explained that Hardik’s fitness issues were a significant factor in this decision.
Agarkar mentioned, “Hardik is still an important player for us, but fitness has been a challenge for him. It makes it difficult for the coach or selectors to rely on him consistently. We need someone who is available more often. Suryakumar has shown he has the qualities needed for the captaincy, and we believe he is the right choice. We also want to manage Hardik’s workload better since we’ve seen his batting and bowling skills in the World Cup.”
Hardik’s fitness issues began in the Asia Cup of 2018, leading to back surgery. More recently, he injured his ankle during a match against Bangladesh in the 2023 Cricket World Cup, missing international games until the 2024 T20 World Cup.
On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav has been a consistent player in T20Is since his debut in 2021. His aggressive batting style earned him a top spot in the ICC Men’s T20I batting rankings for over a year, although he has recently been replaced by Travis Head.
Agarkar further explained Suryakumar’s appointment, saying, “Suryakumar Yadav was chosen as captain because he is one of the most deserving candidates. We’ve received positive feedback from the team. He is one of the best T20I batters, and we need a captain who can play regularly. We believe he is the right choice and hope to see him develop in this role over time.”
The Indian team has left for Sri Lanka for a tour that includes three T20Is and three ODIs. The first T20I will be played on Saturday, 22 July, and the ODI series will start on 2 August.
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