IND vs SL ODIs 2024: Ahead of Team India's matches against Sri Lanka in the T20Is and ODIs, there has been ongoing speculation about who will lead the team in the matches. The Lanka series will also be crucial for India as it will mark the first tour for Gautam Gambhir as Team India’s Head Coach. Gambhir was announced as the new head coach of Team India, replacing batting legend Rahul Dravid, on July 9 by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
As per reports, Gambhir wanted Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah to join the ODI match against Sri Lanka. However, as per the latest news report, Rohit Sharma has agreed to Head coach's request.
As reported by Hindustan Times, the opener and captain will be back in action for the ODI series against Sri Lanka. The report also stated that Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah will continue their requested long breaks and will now play in the Test series against Bangladesh which is scheduled to begin on September 19.
The ODI series against Sri Lanka is scheduled to commence on August 2, with the second and third ODIs taking place on August 4 and 7. Sharma, who has played 159 T20 internationals, retired on a positive note after guiding his team to their second T20 World Cup victory.
Earlier on July 15, Rohit Sharma had said that he will continue to play Test and ODI cricket “at least for a while.” "I just said it. I don't look that far ahead. So clearly, you will be seeing me play at least for a while," the 37-year-old had said at an event in Dallas on Sunday night.
The T20 leadership role is vacant after Rohit Sharma bid adieu to his international career in the shortest format. Now, 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.
(With inputs from PTI)
