Surya to lead India in T20Is; Rohit, Kohli decide to play ODIs

New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI) Big-hitting batter Suryakumar Yadav was on Thursday named captain of the Indian T20 team for this month’s three-match series against Sri Lanka, while ODI skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli made themselves available for the 50-over rubber against the same team next month.

Shubman Gill has been named vice-captain for both the formats. The team will depart early next week for the tour which will mark the beginning of new head coach Gautam Gambhir’s three-year tenure.

Riyan Parag, who scored seven half-centuries in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Delhi speedster Harshit Rana are the two new faces in the ODI squad.

Seasoned all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who retired from T20Is along with Rohit and Kohli after India’s World Cup triumph in the Caribbean last month, did not find a place in the ODI squad.

Having shouldered the team’s pace-bowling responsibility for a prolonged period, lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah was rested on expected lines.

The first T20 International will be held on July 27, followed by games on July 28 and 30. All the ties will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

The ODIs will be held on August 2, 4 and 7 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Suryakumar, 33, was chosen as skipper for the T20 series over Hardik Pandya, the designated vice-captain during India’s title run in the Americas.

Star all-rounder Pandya is three years younger to the Mumbai swashbuckler but was not the preferred choice of both chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and Gambhir.

It is learnt that the two had a word with Pandya on this issue on Tuesday and conveyed to him that a long-term option in Suryakumar was being considered. Pandya is expectedly there in the T20 squad and has opted out of ODIs due to personal reasons.

Previously, Suryakumar led India to a 4-1 win over Australia in a T20I series last November and followed it up with a 1-1 draw in South Africa.

Shreyas Iyer, despite losing his national contract for missing domestic cricket, made a comeback to the ODI squad alongside KL Rahul, who performed the dual role of keeper-batter during the 50-over World Cup last year at home.

Iyer was captain of this year’s IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders, for whom Gambhir was the team mentor.

Gambhir is taking over from Rahul Dravid, whose tenure ended last month with the World Cup triumph. Dravid declined an extension despite being persuaded by Rohit.

The team is looking to build towards the 2026 T20 World Cup, which India will co-host with Sri Lanka.

The Squads:

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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.

ODI Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.