Hardik to Lead India in T20I Series Against Sri Lanka
Hardik Pandya will lead India in the three-match T20I series at home against Sri Lanka starting on January 3, with Suryakumar Yadav as his deputy, while Rohit Sharma is set to return for the three ODIs that follow. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul are also not part of the T20I squad; and Shikhar Dhawan has been left out of the ODI set-up after a poor run in Bangladesh, where he scored only 18 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 51.42.
Rishabh Pant has not been included in either the ODI or the T20I squad against Sri Lanka after he was given a break from the ODI series in Bangladesh.
Pant subsequently returned for the two Tests and scored a rapid 93 in the victory in Mirpur.
The BCCI release that followed the selection meeting chaired by Chetan Sharma did not specify which players had been rested, dropped or injured.
While Rahul is part of the ODI squad, he hasn’t been named vicecaptain, with Hardik taking over as Rohit’s deputy in his first 50over series since the tour of England in July. Rahul had recently led India in the third ODI in Bangladesh after Rohit was ruled out with a thumb injury.
Jadeja’s recovery taking longer than expected
Ravindra Jadeja did not feature in either squad as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.
He last played for India at the Asia Cup in UAE in August-September, and subsequently underwent surgery.
Jadeja’s inclusion for the Bangladesh tour was provisional and he was later withdrawn after NCA medical staff deemed him “not fully fit”.
ESPNcricinfo understands Jadeja’s recovery is taking longer than expected, and while an exact date for his return isn’t known, the team is keen to have him back for the four-Test series against Australia starting in February.
Jadeja could play in a Ranji Trophy game for Saurashtra, subject to permission, to prove his match fitness ahead of that series.
The selectors chose a young pace attack for the T20Is against Sri Lanka with both Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami, who were part of the 2022 T20 World Cup squad, missing.
Shami, however, is back in the ODI set up for the first time since the tour of England in June-July, after being withdrawn from the recent tour of Bangladesh because of a shoulder injury.