India has appointed Suryakumar Yadav as the captain of their men’s T20I team for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, with Shubman Gill named as the vice-captain for both the T20I and ODI sides. Suryakumar, ranked No. 2 in the ICC Men’s T20I Batting Rankings, takes on the role ahead of the Sri Lanka series. The middle-order batter, who has 68 T20Is under his belt, previously led the team against Australia and South Africa in the absence of key players. Now, he assumes full leadership in the shortest format.
The T20I squad is packed with familiar faces, including stars from the T20 World Cup such as Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, and Axar Patel, all returning after missing the Zimbabwe series. Notably, Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the tour, while seasoned players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will feature in the ODI matches.
India’s white-ball tour of Sri Lanka also marks the debut assignment for Gautam Gambhir as the new head coach. Gambhir steps in following Rahul Dravid’s departure after leading the team to victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. This series is particularly significant as it is India’s first bilateral tour to Sri Lanka since 2021.
This tour signals a new chapter for India’s T20I team under Gambhir’s guidance, marking a transition from the era of veterans like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja, who all retired from T20I cricket following their World Cup triumph. The team aims to build on their success and integrate fresh talent into the squad.
The ODI squad includes Riyan Parag, who debuted in the T20I series against Zimbabwe. KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are the designated wicketkeepers, with Sanju Samson missing out. Among the new faces, pacer Harshit Rana, who impressed in the IPL 2024 season with the title-winning Kolkata Knight Riders, joins the ODI squad alongside Khaleel Ahmed.
Check out the squad for T20I
The T20I squad is as follows: 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, and Mohammed Siraj.
India’s blend of experienced players and emerging talent, under new leadership, aims to perform strongly in Sri Lanka, setting the tone for future successes in international cricket.
