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Former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has shared insights into Suryakumar Yadav’s elevation as India’s T20I captain for the upcoming series in Sri Lanka. Karthik suggested that the recent appointment could be influenced by the new head coach Gautam Gambhir’s familiarity with Suryakumar Yadav from their time together at KKR, potentially favoring him over Hardik Pandya.
India’s T20I squad is currently undergoing a transformation phase following the retirements of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja from the format after their T20 World Cup triumph in the Caribbean. Suryakumar Yadav, recognized for his dynamic batting and leadership potential, has been entrusted with the captaincy duties for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.
The series, scheduled from July 27 to August 7, will commence with the T20Is at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele. The first match is slated for July 27, followed by subsequent encounters on July 28 and July 30, all to be held at the same venue.
Shreyas Iyer Has Grown As A Captain – Dinesh Karthik
In response to speculation about Shreyas Iyer potentially becoming India’s captain across all formats, Dinesh Karthik clarified that Rohit Sharma is set to maintain his leadership role in ODIs and Tests. This decision was further affirmed by BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, who recently confirmed Rohit Sharma’s captaincy for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 and the World Test Championship final 2025.
“Must say Shreyas Iyer has grown as a captain, though at this point of time in ODI cricket and Test cricket it’s Rohit Sharma,” Karthik said.
Dinesh Karthik underscored the pivotal role of the captain-coach dynamic in steering a team effectively. According to the former cricketer-turned-commentator, Gautam Gambhir’s decision to select Suryakumar Yadav as captain stems from their prior collaboration at KKR. During their time together in 2015, Gambhir led the team while Yadav served as vice-captain, fostering a relationship that has influenced Gambhir’s decision-making in the current context.
“In T20 cricket, it’s going to be Gautam Gambhir’s choice. It’ll be a toss-up between Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya. And I won’t be surprised if he leans a bit towards Suryakumar, only because in KKR, when Gambhir was the captain, it was Suryakumar who was the vice captain. A captain-coach relationship is the most important relationship in steering the ship, and I think Gautam Gambhir will choose someone that he’s worked with, who he knows personally, and hence it could be Suryakumar Yadav,” he added.
Despite serving as vice-captain during India’s victorious 2024 T20 World Cup campaign, Hardik Pandya finds himself back in the T20I squad for the upcoming series without a promotion to captaincy. Recent reports indicate that both Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir have thrown their weight behind Suryakumar Yadav for the role instead.
Suryakumar Yadav, although relatively inexperienced in international and IPL captaincy, has taken charge in seven T20Is for India, boasting a commendable record of five wins and two losses. The 33-year-old middle-order batsman led India to a convincing 4-1 series triumph against Australia and a 1-1 draw against South Africa last year, showcasing his leadership capabilities on the international stage.
