Kolkata : According to reports, Indian prolific Batsman Surya Kumar Yadav is reportedly to remain T20I captain of Indian Cricket Team till ICC T20 WC 2026.
Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya , vice captain of the team might be ruled out as captaincy candidate.
It’s said that Gambhir and Agarkar both favour Surya ahead of Pandya with the view of long term plans & ensuring stability within the team.
“Hardik Pandya was India’s T2O vice-captain under Rohit Sharma. He is completely fit and available for the three-match T20I series and was supposed to lead the side but there is a very strong feeling that SKY would be the potential leader not only for the Sri Lanka series but till the 2026 World Cup,” a senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Pandya will also remain unavailable in the ODI Series against Sri Lanka later this month citing personal reasons.
“Hardik’s break from ODIs is for very personal reasons. He doesn’t have any fitness issue as is being suggested in the media,” the official said.
Although Pandya was seen as a nature choice for captaincy after Rohit Sharma’s retirement from T20Is, his dip in captaincy stint for Mumbai Indians reportedly discouraged selectors from choosing him.
It is also said that BCCI officials liked Surya’s captaincy style.
“It is a delicate matter. There is an argument on both sides of the debate and thus everyone is not on the same page. Hardik’s fitness is an issue but he played a big role in breaking India’s ICC jinx. As for Suryakumar, we have received feedback from the team that his captaincy style was well received by the dressing room,” said a BCCI source involved in decision-making.
Surya, a liked individual within Indian team, also led India to successful victories in T20I series against Australia and South Africa is thereby preferred to lead India ahead of Pandya in T20Is.
