Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is set to captain India in the upcoming three-match T20 International series against Sri Lanka, starting July 27. Pandya, who served as India’s T20 vice-captain under Rohit Sharma, is fully fit and available for the T20Is despite recent speculation about his fitness. Rohit Sharma, who retired from T20 Internationals after the World Cup, will not be part of the ODI series scheduled for August, with Pandya also opting out due to personal reasons.
The T20I series against Sri Lanka will take place from July 27 to 30 in Pallekele, followed by the ODIs from August 2 to 7 in Colombo. The BCCI is expected to announce the squad for the series soon. While the deputy captaincy for the T20Is is yet to be confirmed, contenders include Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav, both of whom have leadership experience at the international level.
Regarding the ODIs, Pandya has communicated his decision to skip the series to regular captain Rohit Sharma. This break is purely for personal reasons, clarifying that there are no fitness issues as speculated in some media reports.
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah emphasized the importance of domestic availability for all cricketers, including star players, during their off-duty periods. Exceptions, however, are made for senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah. The BCCI intends for Test specialists to participate in at least one Duleep Trophy game in August as preparation for upcoming Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand.
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