With the expectations arising on the announcement of India’s squad for the Sri Lanka tour, Rohit Sharma is set to lead the side for the ODI leg in the Sri Lanka tour.
Rohit Sharma to Lead India for Sri Lanka ODIs
Rohit Sharma is set to play in the ODI series against Sri Lanka and will be leading the side as well. There were talks about Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah will miss the entire Sri Lanka tour with KL Rahul to lead the squad for the ODI series.
But a report claims that Rohit will be back in action while Virat and Bumrah will be rested after playing non-stop cricket.
India has only six ODIs scheduled before the Champions Trophy 2025 and the series will be Gautam Gambhir’s first assignment as India’s head coach. Meanwhile, the T20I captaincy race between Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav has gone wild with media believing that Suryakumar will likely lead the T20I squad as team management is concerned about Hardik’s fitness.
With Suryakumar Yadav having the advantage of becoming India’s T20 captain till the T20 World Cup 2026, Hardik Pandya has also been elevated from the vice-captain position which was seen as a natural progress.
Suryakumar Yadav has captained Mumbai in the domestic circuit and also led India to a 4-1 dominating victory against Australia in a T20I series last year. He was captaining the side when India leveled the series 1-1 in South Africa. He was one of the first choices of India Xl in the format.
On the other hand, Hardik Pandya was the vice-captain at the T20 World Cup and is a more experienced captain as he led India in 3 ODIs and 16 T20Is, it is revealed that fitness concerns and workload management have not favored him.
With both being in top forms while leading the side, the choice will be made by the new head coach and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar.
“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,” said a BCCI source.
“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. The Sri Lanka tour will start with the T20I leg starting on July 27 at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
