The IND vs SL series starts on July 27, and one of the pressing questions is, what will be the role of Hardik Pandya in the team, and how would his equation with new T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav be?
After Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the shortest format, many had expected Hardik to take over the reigns of the team, but of course, that did not happen. This despite the fact that he is the skipper for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, and Surya plays under him.
Suryakumar Yadav on Hardik Pandya
Now, in Team India, the dynamic has changed a bit. Here Hardik will play under Surya. Many experts feel that it could give rise to some tension in the team, but a day prior to the start of the IND vs SL series, Suryakumar Yadav cleared the air. In a crisp response on the player, SKY said, “Hardik’s role is very important. His role will be the same, he is a very important player for Team India.”
On Riyan Parag in IND vs SL Series
One of the surprise inclusions in the team was that of all-rounder Riyan Parag, who failed to impress in the recently concluded IND vs ZIM series. In three matches there, he could only muster 24 runs, and couldn’t bag a wicket. But it seems that he has the backing of the team management for now.
Surya summed it up rather well, and said, “Riyan Parag has a certain X-factor.”