The national selectors chose Suryakumar Yadav as captain for the T20I series against Sri Lanka instead of the more experienced Hardik Pandya, citing fitness and consistent availability as key factors. Ajit Agarkar, explaining the decision, emphasized that while Suryakumar is a deserving candidate known for his leadership and status as a top T20I batter, the selectors are also exploring different leaders as part of a succession plan with Rohit Sharma stepping down from T20I captaincy after India’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 win.
"He's one of the deserving candidates, one we know who has been around the group over the last year. We get feedback from the dressing room a lot. He’s got a good cricket brain. He’s still one of the best T20 batters in the world. One of the main issues obviously was you want a captain that’s going to or likely to play all the games. I mean, we think he’s a deserving candidate and hopefully, we’ll see over time how he develops into the role," Agarkar stated at the pre-departure press conference for the Sri Lanka tour, which includes three T20Is and three ODIs.
Agarkar, the chairman of the BCCI senior selection committee, attended the conference with newly-appointed chief coach Gautam Gambhir. The team will depart tonight, starting the series on July 27 with T20Is, followed by Rohit Sharma leading the ODI squad.
Agarkar reiterated that Suryakumar was chosen for his merit but acknowledged Hardik Pandya's importance and unique skills. He noted that managing Pandya’s workload was crucial due to his fitness challenges.
“As regards Hardik, I mean, as he’s still a very important player for us and that’s what we want him to be, that player that he can be, because those sorts of skill sets are very difficult to find what he has. Fitness obviously has been a challenge for him over the last few years and then it becomes a little bit more difficult for say a coach or even us as selectors when you’re trying to pick a captain. Now we’ve got a bit more time till the next T20 World Cup and we can look at a few things. It’s not rushed at the moment, and we want him to be, like I said, he’s an important player for us and hopefully his performances are more important. And that was the thought behind it. Fitness is a clear challenge and you want someone who’s likely to be available more often than not. And after saying all that, we think Surya’s got the necessary qualities that you need to succeed as a captain,” Agarkar elaborated.
Pandya, plagued by injuries recently, only plays white-ball cricket. His latest injury occurred during a crucial phase of last year’s 50-over World Cup, where India lost to Australia in the final. Pandya also had a disappointing IPL 2024 season.
Agarkar mentioned that the selectors would discuss future plans with coach Gambhir post the Sri Lanka tour. Gambhir, in his remarks, emphasized his coaching approach focused on player freedom and maintaining a positive team environment, believing a happy dressing room leads to better on-field performance.
Agarkar and Gambhir also addressed the importance of managing player workloads, given India’s busy schedule of around 10 Test matches in the next 12 months alongside white-ball series.
Responding to questions about Shubman Gill being chosen as vice-captain over KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant, Agarkar explained that Rahul’s recent absence from T20Is and the need for future options influenced their decision. Pant, recovering from a long injury, also wasn’t burdened with additional responsibilities immediately upon his return.
Agarkar asserted that while Suryakumar’s appointment might seem like a course correction, the selection doors remain open for all players, including those performing well in domestic cricket.
Addressing the exclusion of players like Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Ruturaj Gaikwad for the Sri Lanka tour despite their previous inclusion, Agarkar noted the tough choices due to limited squad spots. He highlighted Rinku’s exclusion from the T20 World Cup despite his IPL performances as an example of the challenges in team selection, emphasizing the importance of taking opportunities when they arise.
“I mean, every player who’s left out feels hard done by. Our challenge is to pick only 15 to try and get the best balance. So someone’s likely to miss out sometimes. They’ve had some recent performances in recent times, but you got to see who’s picked ahead of them. I mean, are those guys not deserving of their place? If that’s the thing, then there are things to discuss. But at this stage, I mean, we had an opportunity to give some of those guys, you know, a go in the Zimbabwe series, which was good. So we have enough depth. If tomorrow there’s loss of form from the players that are playing or there are injuries it’s tough,” Agarkar commented.
Using Rinku as an example, Agarkar stated, “I mean, Rinku, for no fault of his, missed out on the World Cup. He had a terrific T20 leading up to the World Cup, but it’s sometimes just the way it goes. Unfortunately for us as well, it’s difficult to fit everyone in the 15. And as tough as it is for the player, that’s generally the life of a player. That’s why when you get an opportunity, you try and put up performances. So as soon as somebody who’s ahead of you is not quite up to the mark or doesn’t, or there’s an injury there, you’re ready to fix and you could take a lot of names. You’ve taken three names, there are a lot of names and it’s tough on them. But that’s just the reality. We can only pick 15,” Agarkar concluded.
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