After an impressive 2022, Hardik Pandya could be seen playing a more prominent role for Indian cricket in the year ahead. The all-rounder will continue to lead India’s T20 team in the three-match series against Sri Lanka starting January 3 in Mumbai. He also led the team in Rohit Sharma’s absence in New Zealand, but importantly has been named ODI vice-captain to Sharma in the matches to follow in what will be a World Cup year, replacing out-of-form KL Rahul who holds his place in the 50-overs format.
Although the team has been picked by the outgoing selection committee headed by Chetan Sharma, one understands this decision has been thought through with the decision makers in BCCI.
Sharma, who injured his thumb in the white-ball matches in Bangladesh, is yet to fully recover for the T20Is and will return to lead in the ODIs. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul will also be missing from action. The BCCI press statement offers no explanations, but it’s learnt Kohli has been rested and Rahul has been dropped.
A long-term view on whether to go with senior batters for the 2024 T20 World Cup will be taken by the new selectors, who will be appointed soon.
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A key exclusion from both the white-ball teams is Rishabh Pant, who has struggled to find his feet in the shorter formats. He continues his charge in Test cricket, having recently struck a quickfire 90 against Bangladesh. Suryakumar Yadav will be replacing Pant as Hardik’s deputy in T2OIs.
Ishan Kishan, who recently struck the fastest ODI double hundred against Bangladesh, has been named in both the teams. Sanju Samson is the other wicket-keeper in the T2OI squad while Rahul will offer another option to keep the gloves in the ODI series. The twin series run from January 3 to 15.
Fast bowlers Shivam Mavi and Mukesh Kumar, fresh off lucrative IPL deals in the auction, have been named in India’s 16-member T2OI squad.
The other notable exclusions are that of Shikhar Dhawan from ODIs and Bhuvneshwar Kumar from T20Is. The 37-year-old batter has been serving as India’s stand-by ODI captain during parallel international tours. Following this axe resulting out of continued below par showings, he may find it tough to be back for the October-November World Cup at home. It isn’t known whether Kumar’s absence is a sign of things to come, but the medium-pacer has been under pressure to hold his place after the disappointing show in the T20 World Cup.
Speedster Jasprit Bumrah who has been out of action from the time he broke down before the T20 World Cup has begun to bowl but isn’t ready to return to action yet. Express pacer Umran Malik has been given a place in both the formats.
India’s squad for Sri Lanka T20Is: Hardik Pandya (Captain), Ishan Kishan (Wicketkeeper), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (Vice-captain), Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Mukesh Kumar.
India’s squad for Sri Lanka ODIs: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (Wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya (Vice-captain), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh.
