IND vs SL: After India’s T20 triumph in the World Cup and the retirement of the two veterans, what has been adding to the concern for the Indian team is their captaincy option. Batters like Kohli and ex-skipper Rohit are difficult to replace, but with several cricketers on the Indian side who are full of intent, that would not be a challenging task in the shortest-game format.
India will be led by the speculated experienced Indian all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, who has always been seen as the ex-Indian skipper’s successor. Having led India previously in the absence of Rohit, Pandya has had quite an experience.
Hardik was also praised immensely for his role as a captain when he led the Gujarat Titans in the IPL. As the skipper, he led from the front, as despite having a moderate side, the Titans lifted the IPL trophy in the very first season they played in.
Even with the appointment of Gautam Gambhir, India is likely to be led by Pandya; however, what leaves the BCCI and Indian selectors apart from announcing him as India’s full-time skipper for T20Is is his regular injuries.
Hardik Pandya played a very vital role in India’s T20 World Cup glory throughout the entire series and was the one who brought India back into the game in the final against the Proteas.
However, recalling several competitions before this, Hardik, due to his fragile nature on the field, has been ruled out during crucial points of a tournament, as he brought trouble for the Indian side when he left the Cricket World Cup 2023 in the middle of the tournament due to injury. India faced deep trouble as they had no backup for the player, and honestly, it was difficult to find any.
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Though Hardik would remain an inevitable part of the Indian team for years to come, his inconsistent participation would cause a halt to his becoming the captain of the national side. Gambhir, who is known for his rational decisions, would prefer to have more consistent players in the role of a skipper, like Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav.
Suryakumar Yadav is the third-highest run-getter in the format for India, just behind the two veterans who retired recently. He is India’s best T20 batter, ranked 2nd as per the ICC. With his efforts landing the T20 World Cup for India, he has been the nation’s hero, and combined with his unstoppable form in the format, SKY is undoubtedly an asset for India in the years to come.
Yadav, who will probably make a comeback for India in the T20I series against Sri Lanka, will be their lead batter, and he can be seen as the best-ever option for the role. SKY led India priorly against the Aussies and the Proteas after the World Cup in 2023. With success in both series, India sealed a victory against the Aussies, followed by a tied series against South Africa on their land.
Considering his fitness, regularity in the Indian side, and his common status of playing only in T20Is and not featuring for India in the other two formats, mostly Suryakumar Yadav, the MI man can be a more likely option for the role of captain in place of his MI skipper, Pandya.
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