So, remember how Rohit Sharma sneakily retired from T20Is after our historic World Cup 2024 win? When the dust was settled, we realized that it has left a big hole on who should lead the Men in Blue when India and Sri Lanka will co-host the next edition. Naturally, everyone assumed Hardik Pandya, the vice-captain, would take the reins. But hold on, there’s a new player in the game – Suryakumar Yadav! Rumors of SKY becoming next India T20I skipper are making huge rounds.
BCCI still unsure on Suryakumar & Pandya?
Apparently, Suryakumar’s first tenure as a permanent is likely to begin in Sri Lanka, with three T20Is, spread across four days. However, when it was destined for Pandya to take the reigns in the shortest format, one would imagine in what changed so quickly. After all, Pandya led the country across 16 T20Is.
But why the switch? Well, Hardik has a nasty habit of getting injured, and the BCCI isn’t exactly thrilled about that. But here’s the catch – the BCCI selection committee isn’t sure about Suryakumar for the long term either. As per Indian Express, the management would be ready to move on from SKY if results don’t go our way. If he messes up as captain and doesn’t boast enough confidence, they will be ready to swap him with someone like Pandya.
A stop-gap solution ft. Suryakumar
Having said all this, there could be another twist as well! Hardik Pandya has reportedly already mentioned that he will miss the ODI series due to personal reasons. The three ODIs are after the T20I leg and it shouldn’t be a surprise if he misses the entire tour altogether. That puts Suryakumar back in the running. SKY might start as a temporary captain, only to hand over the reins to Hardik when he shows up.
The BCCI seems to be playing musical chairs with the captaincy, unsure of who to pick. Suryakumar might be a trial run, or maybe Hardik is still the favorite. Only time will tell who will be India’s next T20I captain, but one thing’s for sure – this is one exciting (and slightly messy) captaincy selection battle!