A new chapter began for the Indian cricket team as they left for Sri Lanka on July 22nd, 2024, under the newly appointed captain Suryakumar Yadav. The island nation’s visit would usher them into a new era in particular with the T20Is after veterans Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirement post-T20 World Cup 2024 victory.
The upcoming series from July 27th is going to be an important platform where the rejuvenated Indian T20I will try to make its mark under Yadav’s leadership. The Board of Control for Cricket in India offered a sneak peek to the fans by sharing behind-the-scenes footage from the journey. Entering this crucial tour, the new head coach Gautam Gambhir and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar are with the team.
Mumbai to Pallekele via Colombo ✈️ 🚌#TeamIndia have reached Sri Lanka 🇱🇰#SLvIND pic.twitter.com/ffDYJOV7wm
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 22, 2024
In a pre-tour press conference, Gambhir confirmed that Ryan ten Doeschate would join the coaching staff at a later date, while the former spinner Sairaj Bahutule has been appointed the interim bowling coach. Fans can also expect to see South African pace legend Morne Morkel involved following the series. There was an element of debate over appointing Yadav full-time T20I captain instead of Hardik Pandya. Now, chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar explains the reasoning behind the same.
ALSO READ: Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav’s Potential Departure From MI Ahead Of IPL 2025
“Hardik remains an important player for India,” Ajit Agarkar admitted. “But fitness has been a recurring problem with him. So, it makes it hard for both the coach and selectors to bank on him consistently. Fitness is paramount, and we need someone with a strong track record for availability. That said, we believe Surya has what it takes to be a good leader.”
Agarkar added that the availability and fitness of players play a huge role in the selection committee’s decisions, and they always keep open lines of communication with players regarding their possible role changes within the team.
ALSO READ: Richa Ghosh applauds Harmanpreet Kaur for guiding her through maiden T20I fifty
“We are quite confident of keeping Hardik in check as he contributed immensely during the World Cup with bat and ball. We constantly keep talking to every player, or for that matter, even Hardik about the possible changes that might happen in terms of his role in the team,” Agarkar said.
The more exciting spectacle of the Sri Lanka tour will be the first time a new generation of Indian cricketers has taken center stage. Much will be expected of such a team, with a new captain at the helm and a coaching staff that has seen some revamping, so fans will keenly watch how the team performs in this new era.
