NEW DELHI:
Suryakumar Yadav
has been appointed as the captain of the Indian T20 team. The announcement was made on Thursday, confirming the 33-year-old's leadership role for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.
Suryakumar will be at the helm of a 15-player squad that is set to play three T20 international matches against the Sri Lankan side. The series is scheduled to commence on July 27, with the first match taking place in Pallekele.
Suryakumar, a dynamic middle-order batsman who has been a consistent performer for India in the T20 format, has reportedly been selected as the top pick by the newly appointed coach Gautam Gambhir.
Hardik Pandya
, who served as
Rohit Sharma
's deputy during the T20 World Cup, initially emerged as a leading candidate for the position. However, his recurrent struggles with injuries ultimately hindered his chances of securing the role.
There have been notable inclusions and exclusions from the squad which have been a part of the T20 World Cup. Find out the changes:
IN:
Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill, who recently led a second-string Indian side to a 4-1 T20 series victory in Zimbabwe, has been named vice-captain ahead of the likes of Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant.
Gill was included in the group of four reserve players who accompanied the main squad during the T20 World Cup 2024.
Rinku Singh
Rinku Singh, who was not selected for the T20 World Cup 2024 squad, but was a part of the reserve players, has been included in the T20I squad for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka.
Khaleel Ahmed
Similarly, Khaleel Ahmed, who was also one of the travelling reserves for the T20 World Cup, has been named in the squad for the Sri Lanka series.
OUT
Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian cricket team's 'Kohinoor' and pace spearhead, has been carefully managed with a specific focus on the upcoming 10 Test matches. The team management has devised a plan to ensure Bumrah's optimal performance and longevity, considering the crucial importance of these matches.
Kuldeep Yadav
Kuldeep Yadav, despite his impressive performance during India's victorious run in the T20 World Cup 2024, has been excluded from the T20I squad for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka.
However, Kuldeep has been included in the ODI squad for the series against Sri Lanka, which is set to commence on August 3.
After the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2024, three prominent Indian cricketers, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and
Ravindra Jadeja
decided to bid farewell to the shortest format of the game. As a result of their decision, the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka will not feature any of these three stalwarts.
T20I Squad: 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, Mohd. Siraj.
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