Hardik Pandya or Suryakumar Yadav: Saba Karim's Choice for India's Next T20I Captain

With Team India embarking on a white-ball tour of Sri Lanka later this month, the debate over the team's new T20I captain has intensified. Former selector Saba Karim has weighed in on the discussion, suggesting Hardik Pandya as the natural replacement for Rohit Sharma, who retired from the format after the T20 World Cup triumph.

Karim believes Pandya's experience as vice-captain during India's World Cup victory and his previous stints as captain make him the ideal candidate. "The first thing that needs to be decided is who will captain in T20Is. Rohit Sharma has retired, he won't play T20Is. So you will have a new captain. I feel there are two contenders. If we see logically, Hardik Pandya should become the captain because he was the vice-captain in the winning World Cup campaign. He also captained India in the past. I feel the preparation now should be for the next T20 World Cup which is going to happen after two years," Karim told Sony Sports.

Karim also threw a surprise recommendation into the mix, suggesting Suryakumar Yadav as a potential captain. Yadav led India in a home T20I series against Australia last year, where India emerged victorious. "I feel the discussion should be about SKY because Suryakumar Yadav captained India in the home series against Australia. India defeated Australia there and he also batted well. So he can definitely come forward as an option. If the selectors feel Hardik Pandya has played a fantastic role and can do the same as a captain as well, he can definitely be the ideal candidate. So I feel these are the two contenders," he added.

Meanwhile, Shubman Gill recently led a young Indian team in a five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, which India won 4-1. Gill's performance as captain has also sparked discussions about his potential to lead the team in the future.

As the BCCI prepares to announce the squad and captain(s) for the Sri Lanka tour, the debate over India's next T20I captain is likely to continue. Pandya, Yadav, and Gill are all strong contenders, and the selectors will have a tough decision to make.

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