World T20 champions India will travel to Sri Lanka with a new leadership group – coach Gautam Gambhir, captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill. The transition in the game’s most popular format comes within weeks of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja calling time on their T20I careers. The Big Three, all in their mid- to late 30s, had announced their retirement last month after the end of India’s long wait for an ICC title which came on head coach Rahul Dravid’s last day in the job.
The July 27-August 7 tour will have three T20s and as many ODIs. The ODI squad would be led by Rohit with 24-year-old Gill as his deputy, another decision that hints of the blowing winds of change. Adding intrigue to the selection process was the demotion of Hardik Pandya, who was the vice-captain of the T20 World Cup winning team, and one-time India captain KL Rahul. Pandya remains part of the T20 team and Rahul has been included for the ODIs.
The selection meeting that has redrawn the Indian dressing room hierarchy went on for several hours over two days. Those in the know talk about differences of opinion, negotiations and heated debates. During the meetings, calls were made to several players and long-term plans were shared with them. This was by no stretch of imagination just another selection meeting for an innocuous bilateral series next door. Surya ahead of Hardik and Gill before Rahul are significant calls for the future of Indian cricket.
The decision to hand over captaincy to Surya comes as a surprise since Pandya led the Indian T20 side post the 2022 World Cup in Australia, and was expected to do so for the 2024 T20 World Cup till he injured his ankle during the 50-over World Cup in October 2023. Pandya made his comeback in March when he led Mumbai Indians in the IPL, but by then, the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar had made up its mind to retain Rohit for another ICC tournament. Pandya was part of the victorious team and made key contributions with both bat and ball.
Those in the know say that Pandya’s dodgy fitness record was the main concern for the selection committee, and they felt that Surya was the better option going ahead despite him being 33 years of age. Initial discussions took place when the Indian team was in the West Indies, and when Gambhir took over as head coach, he is also said to be of the same opinion.
The decision comes as a surprise because Pandya led the Indian T20 side post the 2022 World Cup in Australia, and was expected to do so in the Americas till he injured his ankle during 50-over World Cup in October 2023. (Source: PTI)
Pandya had earlier informed the selectors that he wouldn’t be part of the three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka due to personal reasons, which put more doubt in their minds. It is said that the feedback received by the board was that players trusted Surya more than Pandya and were more comfortable working under him.
Intense discussion
However, there was an opinion that not naming the incumbent vice-captain of the T20 team as the new skipper would be unfair on him, especially as he performed quite creditably during the World Cup. Some said it was Rohit’s decision to have Pandya as his deputy even though the selection committee wasn’t too keen on that. A panel member felt that Pandya, BCCI and the selection committee acknowledge that Pandya is an important member of the Indian team but don’t see him in a leadership role.
The argument made was that the selection committee under a new chairman didn’t have the opportunity to prepare the team for the next two years, and now it’s the right time to devise a roadmap for the next T20I cycle.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were included in the ODI squad after they informed the BCCI that they will be available for the Sri Lanka tour. (X | BCCI)
Surya’s man management skills came to the fore when he led India in a T20 series in South Africa. He impressed in how he handled the players. When Ishan Kishan decided to go home mid-series, Surya tried to convince him to stay back which got the attention of key members of the team. He talked clearly with the fringe players and told them to be mentally ready to take advantage of the opportunities when they get them.
Surya’s communication style is a bit similar to that of Rohit and teammates are open to have discussions with him. He has impressed the selectors in the past one year by how he has conducted himself, and they now see him as a viable captaincy option in the T20 format despite him being in his mid-thirties.
Surya, however, is not part of the ODI squad and the press release by BCCI didn’t mention a reason. The right-hand batsman was part of the ODI World Cup squad last year where India lost the final.
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