Mission 2024: Indian T20 Team Under New Skipper Hardik Pandya Prepares For Life Without 'Big Three'

Hardik Pandya will be expected to begin his full-time T20 captaincy tenure on a bold note as the Indian T20 team prepares to start its life beyond Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul with the three match series against Sri Lanka, beginning here on Tuesday. The followers of Indian cricket got more than glimpse of Hardik's vision for the team when led the team to victory in the rain-hit T20 series in New Zealand. In an ODI World Cup year, the shortest format is not priority for the Indian team but the series will allow Hardik to start planning for the future, specifically the 2024 T20 World Cup. India's famed top three -- Rohit, Kohli and Rahul -- are not part of the squad and irrespective of their T20 future , the team must prepare for life without them.

The problem with the current Indian T20 team in recent past, has been distinct lack of intent and ability to play fearless cricket.

The idea of self preservation at the cost of impactful performance was hurting the team for a long time and perhaps the poor show in the T20 World Cup became the last straw.

The Combination

Rishabh Pant, who suffered a horrific car crash last week, opened for the team in New Zealand alongside Ishan Kishan. Pant was anyway not picked for the Sri Lanka series, making Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad opening combination most likely for the first T20 at the high-scoring Wankhede Stadium.

Both Kishan and Gaikwad have been bonafide IPL stars for a past few years and this is their real chance to show their wares without worrying about their place in the side.

With next T20 World Cup at least 18 months away, the duo is expected to get a fair run although the number of T20 Internationals this year is less than 15 with ODI gaining more precedence.

Shubman