Team India Head coach Gautam Gambhir has likely asked Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah to join the ODI match against Sri Lanka, media reports stated. Gambhir's request comes from the fact that the players would have an extended break after Sri Lanka tour, before they begin their home Test against Bangladesh on September 19. However, as per reports, none of these three players have so far confirmed their availability for the ODI series.
The ODI series against Sri Lanka is set to start on August 2, with the second and third ODIs will be played on August 4 and 7. The Sri Lanka series is will mark the first tour for Gautam Gambhir as Team India’s Head Coach.
Suryakumar Yadav who captained India in eight T20Is against Australia and South Africa last year, is the preferred choice of new head coach Gautam Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar. According to a PTI report, Gambhir and Agarkar have already spoken to Pandya about a change in plans, informing him that they were finalizing a long-term solution to ensure stability. The T20 leadership role fell vacant after Rohit Sharma bid adieu to his international career in the shortest format following India's World Cup triumph last month in the West Indies.
While speaking to news agency PTI on anonymity, a BCCI source said, “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.”
Pandya, one of the heroes of T20 World Cup victory, will be taking a break during the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka due to "personal reasons". The T20Is against Sri Lanka will run from July 27 to 30 in Pallekele. "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 as reported by PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)
