Ignored For T20 World Cup, India Star Among Top 2 Contenders For ODI Captaincy vs Sri Lanka: Report

17.07.2024 - 02:30 sports.ndtv.com

The India vs Sri Lanka series that will start in the last week of July is going to herald a new era under Gautam Gambhir's coaching.

Veteran stars like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja have retired from T20Is, which means that the team will bear a very fresh look.

India will play three T20Is and three ODIs against Sri Lanka. The ODI series holds extra significance as this series will mark the start of India's preparation for the 2025 Champions Trophy, with the 2027 ODI World Cup being the ultimate prize.

According to a report by news agency PTI, Hardik Pandya, one of the heroes of India's T20 World Cup victory last month will take a break during the three-match ODI series, which is scheduled in August, due to "personal reasons".

cricket Sri Lanka Cricket Team India Cricket Team Rohit Sharma Hardik Pandya Gautam Gambhir Suryakumar Yadav Kl Rahul Australia South Africa India Sri Lanka

Former India pacer Joginder Sharma feels Gautam Gambhir's tenure as head coach of the team might not be a long one, mainly because of his outspoken nature. Gambhir took over as head coach of the Indian team last month after Rahul Dravid tenure came to an end after the T20 World Cup in June. Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, India defeated Sri Lanka 3-0 in Gambhir's debut T20I series as head coach. On Friday, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returned to the side for the ODI series opener, which India drew to Sri Lanka after a thrilling finish.

"What? You Tell Me": Rohit Sharma's Funny Reaction During 1st ODI vs Sri Lanka. Watch

India captain Rohit Sharma and his reactions during a match are simply unmissable. The first ODI between India and Sri Lanka at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo was no exception. A hilarious incident took place during Sri Lanka's batting that was concluded with Rohit's funny response. Dunith Wellalage defended a yorker delivery of Washington Sundar on the fifth ball of the 29th over. India appealed for an LBW but none of the players seemed confident. Umpire was also unconvinced.

Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli Among India Players To Train Ahead Of ODIs Against Sri Lanka

India skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and a few other players will start their from Monday ahead of the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka starting August 2. While the Indian T20I team under Suryakumar Yadav will play the third and final match on Tuesday in Pallekele, Rohit, Kohli and a few others like rookie Harshit Rana will train in Colombo after reaching the island nation's capital on Sunday.

Ex India Star Picks India XI For 1st T20I vs Sri Lanka, Leaves Out Recent 'Player Of The Series'

As Gautam Gambhir gears up to make his debut as India head coach in the first T20I against Sri Lanka, former India batter Wasim Jaffer has shared his playing XI choices for the game on social media. Jaffer - who has been rumoured to become the new head coach of IPL franchise Punjab Kings - made some hot selections. Jaffer left out some big names in the form of Sanju Samson and the in-form Washington Sundar, instead choosing T20 World Cup stars Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel.

"Not Able To Understand": World Cup-Winning Star Blasts Reasoning Behind Hardik Pandya's Captaincy Snub

Former cricketer Kris Srikkanth showered praise on star India batter Suryakumar Yadav and said that he has the qualities to lead the Men in Blue. India has named Suryakumar Yadav as the captain of their men's T20I team for the tour of Sri Lanka, with Shubman Gill as the vice-captain of the T20I and ODI sides. Speaking on his official YouTube channel, Srikkanth said that Suryakumar can prove himself to be a good captain in the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka.

"Was Shocked To See His...": SRH Star Reveals Hardik Pandya's Message During 2024 T20 World Cup

Andhra Pradesh and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy said that he admires star India batter Virat Kohli and former South Africa cricketer AB de Villiers. Nitish was called-up to the Indian squad after a solid Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season with SRH, for the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. Though he could not play due to a sports hernia injury, he has created an impression strong enough to be considered for future series with a 'Emerging Player of the Season' award worthy performance in this year's IPL, scoring 303 runs in 11 innings with two fifties at a strike rate of 143 and taking three wickets with his seam bowling.