Hardik Pandya to Lead India in T20Is, KL Rahul in ODIs; Gautam Gambhir Appointed Head Coach

Following India's triumph at the ICC T20 World Cup, Rohit Sharma has announced his retirement from the shortest format of the game. As a result, all-rounder Hardik Pandya is poised to take over the captaincy of the Men in Blue in T20Is. Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul is expected to lead the team in ODIs, according to sources.

Pandya's appointment as T20I captain is a testament to his impressive performance at the World Cup. He amassed 144 runs in six innings, averaging 48.00 and striking at 151.57, including a half-century. With the ball, he claimed 11 wickets in eight games, averaging 17.36 and boasting an economy rate of 7.64.

Pandya's resurgence is particularly noteworthy given the criticism he faced during the IPL 2024 season as captain of the Mumbai Indians. However, he has silenced his detractors with his exceptional performances at the World Cup.

On the other hand, KL Rahul's omission from the T20 World Cup squad despite his strong showing in the ODI World Cup 2023 has raised eyebrows. However, he is now set to lead the team in the absence of Rohit Sharma. Rahul has a proven track record in ODIs, having scored 386 runs in nine innings at an average of 77.20 and a strike rate of 98.72.

In a separate development, Gautam Gambhir has been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian men's cricket team. Gambhir, a former left-handed opener for India, has served as the team mentor for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. Under his guidance, KKR won their third IPL trophy in 2024.

Gambhir's appointment is seen as a positive step by the BCCI, which believes he has the experience and vision to lead Indian cricket forward. He takes over from Rahul Dravid, whose tenure ended after the T20 World Cup.

Tags: #HardikPandya, #T20ICaptain, #KLRahul, #ODICaptain, #GautamGambhir