Why Suryakumar Yadav, not Hardik Pandya as captain:
What transpired within the Indian team selected for the Sri Lanka tour that resulted in Hardik Pandya being deprived of even the vice-captaincy duties? What led to Suryakumar Yadav becoming the captain of the Indian T20 team, despite Hardik Pandya once being the frontrunner for the role post-Rohit Sharma's retirement from T20 World Cup 2024?
aajtak.in obtained details from a BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) two-day online meeting revealing how Suryakumar Yadav claimed the captaincy and how Hardik Pandya was relegated to just a player. Shubman Gill also emerged into the race. The decision was heavily influenced by three key figures: Rohit Sharma, Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar, and Head Coach Gautam Gambhir.
India's T20 and ODI squads for the Sri Lanka tour were announced on Thursday, July 18. However, the selection process involved a two-day BCCI meeting, spanning Wednesday, July 17, and the announcement day itself.
A high-level BCCI source informed aajtak.in that both meetings occurred online. Present were Indian T20 World Cup team captain Rohit Sharma, Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar, and new Team India coach Gautam Gambhir.
Source: aajtak
The source disclosed that initially, it was settled that Hardik Pandya would assume the T20 captaincy, but upon discovering he had decided not to play ODIs, citing personal reasons, the panel chose Suryakumar Yadav to take charge of the Indian T20 team.
The source also revealed that Rohit Sharma and Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar were in favor of Suryakumar Yadav. Subsequently, when asked about the captaincy candidates, Gautam Gambhir recommended Suryakumar. Additionally, feedback from players supported Suryakumar Yadav's selection as captain.
Source: aajtak
Key Factors in Hardik vs Suryakumar decision
1. Ensure the chosen captain can lead the T20 team for the next three to four years. 2. Suryakumar will focus solely on T20, unlike Hardik who will remain part of the ODI squad. 3. Suryakumar has fewer injuries compared to Hardik and is considered fitter. 4. Suryakumar Yadav boasts a superior T20 record over Hardik Pandya.
Selectors Empowered by BCCI
aajtak.in also learned that during the online meeting on Wednesday, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah participated. However, he was absent in the July 18th meeting when the team announcement took place. During the earlier meeting, Shah emphasized that the selectors would have complete authority in choosing the team.
Why Shubman Gill Became Vice-Captain
Since Hardik opted out of playing ODIs, the BCCI chose Shubman Gill as the vice-captain, considering future prospects. His age is a significant factor; at 24, he has time to mature and gain leadership experience. In contrast, ODI and Test captain Rohit Sharma is 37, and new T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav is 33. Thus, it is crucial for India to have a younger player like Gill ready for future leadership roles.
Another reason Shubman emerged as a standout candidate is the recent performances and fitness concerns surrounding Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant. Gill led the Indian team to a 4-1 T20 series victory against Zimbabwe, scoring 170 runs in five matches at an average of 42.50.
Injuries in Both Camps
It's noteworthy that Hardik Pandya was injured during the ODI World Cup 2023 against Bangladesh, sidelining him for the remainder of the World Cup. His injury woes date back to the 2018 Asia Cup when he had a stress fracture in his lower back, which subsequently required treatment. Despite these challenges, he was fit for the IPL 2019 and later the 2019 Cricket World Cup. He underwent back surgery following continuous back pain during the T20I series against South Africa the same year.
Source: aajtak
Similarly, Suryakumar Yadav has faced his share of injuries. At 30 and 33 years respectively, both Hardik and Suryakumar have had recent injury concerns. At the beginning of this year, Suryakumar underwent sports hernia surgery in Munich. He also sustained an ankle injury while fielding during the third T20 match against South Africa last year, followed by ankle surgery before his sports hernia surgery.
Top 5 Successful Captains of India's T20 Team
Indian Squad for Sri Lanka Tour
India's T20 Team:
Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Mohammed Siraj.
India's ODI Team:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper), Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, and Harshit Rana.
India-Sri Lanka Series Schedule
July 27 - First T20, Pallekele July 28 - Second T20, Pallekele July 30 - Third T20, Pallekele August 2 - First ODI, Colombo August 4 - Second ODI, Colombo August 7 - Third ODI, Colombo
