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| BCCI, File Photo |
With the recent retirement of Rohit Sharma from T20 Internationals, all-rounder Hardik Pandya is poised to take over as India's T20 captain. The official announcement is yet to be made, but reports suggest Pandya will lead the team in the upcoming T20 series against Sri Lanka.
Detailed Overview:
The Indian cricket team is scheduled to play a limited-overs series against Sri Lanka at the end of this month. The announcement of the team is imminent, and Hardik Pandya is likely to be named the T20 captain following Rohit Sharma's retirement from T20 Internationals after the recent T20 World Cup.
Hardik Pandya’s Role:
Hardik Pandya served as the vice-captain of the Indian team during the T20 World Cup. Post the tournament, Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from T20 Internationals, sparking discussions on the next T20 captain for India. A BCCI source informed PTI that Hardik, having been the vice-captain under Rohit, is fully fit and available to lead the team for the three-match T20 series against Sri Lanka.
Uncertainty Over Vice-Captain:
While Hardik is expected to be the captain, the vice-captaincy remains undecided. Names like Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav are being considered. Shubman Gill recently led India to a 4-1 victory in a five-match T20 series against Zimbabwe, while Suryakumar Yadav captained the team in a T20 series against South Africa last year.
Hardik’s Availability for the ODI Series:
Regarding the ODI series, sources indicate that Hardik has requested a leave, and the regular captain, Rohit Sharma, has been informed. An official stated, “Taking a break from the ODI series is due to personal reasons. Contrary to media reports, Hardik has no fitness issues.” KL Rahul and Shubman Gill are potential candidates for ODI captaincy as Rohit is also set to skip the series.
BCCI's Domestic Cricket Directive:
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah emphasized that star players should participate in domestic cricket when not playing for the national team. However, exemptions are made for Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah. The BCCI aims for all Test specialists to play at least one match in the Duleep Trophy before the series against Bangladesh and New Zealand. The national selection committee, rather than regional selectors, will choose the Duleep Trophy teams this time. It will be up to Rohit, Virat, and Bumrah to decide if they want to participate.
