Ind in SL: First look at new Indian leadership — Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav

Indian players are seen during a practice session ahead of the first T20 international against Sri Lanka in Kandy on July 26, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP

It is rare for an Indian cricket series to be obscured from the nation’s eye by another sporting event. But, such is the glow of the Olympics, that it has forced India’s white-ball expedition to Sri Lanka down the pecking order.

The tour, which begins with the first of the three T20Is in Pallekelle on July 27, though has something significant to offer. It will provide a first look at an Indian side under a new leadership yoke — Gautam Gambhir as coach and Suryakumar Yadav as captain.

Gambhir, whose coaching experience is restricted to mentorship roles in IPL, will seek to identify a core group and build towards defending the T20 World Cup in 2026.

For Suryakumar, the task will be to fill in the leadership vacuum left behind by the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have retired from T2OIs.

Sri Lanka’s captain Charith Asalanka and his Indian counterpart Suryakumar Yadav pose with the Twenty20 trophy in Kandy on July 26, 2024.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

A share of the spotlight will also fall on star all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who was overlooked as captain despite being Rohit’s deputy in the World Cup triumph.

Hardik also lost out on the vice-captaincy role to Shubman Gill, who the team is eyeing as the next multi-format batting mainstay.

Gill, who captained a heavily rotated Indian side to a 4-1 win in Zimbabwe after the World Cup, looks set to continue at the top of the order along with Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Another aspect to look forward will be Gambhir’s choice of wicketkeeper. The Indian coach in the past has vouched for backing Sanju Samson for a sustained period, while for the recent T20 World Cup, he opined Rishabh Pant to be a better fit for the batting order.

The absence of strike pair Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav, who have been rested, will offer the rest of the Indian bowling attack a chance to stake claim for an assured spot in the side.

Much like India, Sri Lanka too comes into the series with a new coach and captain. But the circumstances couldn’t be any dissimilar.

A calamitous T20 World Cup campaign saw Wanindu Hasaranga being stripped of captaincy with middle-order batter Charith Asalanka taking over. Legendary opener Sanath Jayasuriya is the interim coach, replacing Chris Silverwood.

Much of Sri Lanka’s hopes will rely on its well-rounded bowling attack which covers most of the bases in the T20 format.

The teams (from):

India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Ꮪhubman Gill (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj.

Sri Lanka: Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Janith Perera, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Asitha Fernando, Binura Fernando.

Match starts at 7 p.m. IST