Rohit Sharma to Lead India in Sri Lanka ODIs, Suryakumar Yadav Emerges as T20 Captaincy Contender

Rohit Sharma, India's ODI captain, is set to return to action in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, according to a report by Hindustan Times. Earlier speculations suggested that Sharma, along with Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, would miss the entire tour. However, the report claims that Sharma will be back in action, while Kohli and Bumrah will enjoy an extended leave after a grueling schedule.

The series against Sri Lanka will be India's first assignment under new head coach Gautam Gambhir. It will also be a crucial preparation for the Champions Trophy 2025, with India playing only six ODIs before the tournament. Sharma's involvement in the series is seen as a significant step in India's preparations.

Meanwhile, the T20I captaincy remains a topic of discussion. Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav have emerged as strong contenders, but media reports suggest that Yadav has an advantage due to concerns over Pandya's fitness.

Yadav has emerged as a dark horse to become India's T20 captain until the 2026 World Cup. He captained India in eight T20Is against Australia and South Africa last year and is reportedly the preferred choice of Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar.

Pandya, who was India's T20 vice-captain under Sharma, will take a break during the ODI series against Sri Lanka due to personal reasons. He is expected to lead the side in the T20Is, which will run from July 27 to 30 in Pallekele. The ODIs will follow from August 2 to 7 in Colombo.

The squad for the series is expected to be announced in the next couple of days.

Tags: #RohitSharma, #ViratKohli, #JaspritBumrah, #GautamGambhir, #SuryakumarYadav