India vs Sri Lanka, T20Is Squad Announcement, New Captain, and Some New Faces

Big changes shape up in Indian T20 cricket! This is in respect to the 15-member names that Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) listed for the coming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, beginning 27th July 2024. Below are the main heads-ups.

Leadership Changes

New Captain and Vice-Captain: 

Following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from T20I cricket, a new captain has been appointed: Suryakumar Yadav. Shubman Gill, who has replaced Hardik Pandya, who led India to victory in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, has shifted as the vice-captain.

Exclusion of Hardik Pandya from his Leadership: 

Despite Hardik Pandya’s great performances, he is excluded from the leadership group in this series. This has shocked quite a few fans. After the tremendous performance in the final match of T20 World cup against South Africa.

Squad Details

Openers: These two young stars Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal have done great work in the previous games in the Zimbabwe series and will open the innings for India. Both have looked very promising.

Middle Order: Skipper Suryakumar Yadav and his deputy Sanju Samson will be mainstays of their middle order, supported by Rishabh Pant, Riyan Parag, and Rinku Singh. Known for playing shots across the ground, the Indian batsmen are expected to pile on the runs here.

All-Rounders: The team comprises of Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel as all-rounders. Their versatility adds balance to the team.

Bowlers: The above-mentioned names along with Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Ravi Bishnoi, and Khaleel Ahmed form the bowling attack. Kuldeep Yadav was finally axed after getting the cold shoulder, with him being one of the mainstays for India’s T20 World Cup campaign.

India’s T20I Squad for Sri Lanka Series

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

Mohammed Siraj

T20I Series Schedule

1st T20I: July 27, 2024, 07:00 PM IST, PICS, Pallekele

2nd T20I: July 28, 2024, 07:00 PM IST, PICS, Pallekele

3rd T20I: July 30, 2024, 07:00 PM IST, PICS, Pallekele

This series is a great opportunity for young players to showcase their talent and for the team to test new combinations. Stay tuned for more updates and enjoy the matches!