Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector of the BCCI, explained why Suryakumar Yadav was chosen as the new captain of the Indian T20I team, ahead of Hardik Pandya, during a press conference on Monday. The decision to appoint a new T20I captain came after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the format following the T20 World Cup in Barbados last month. While Hardik Pandya, who was Rohit’s deputy at the World Cup, seemed like a natural choice due to his leadership experience in ODIs, T20Is, and the IPL, Agarkar revealed that fitness concerns influenced the selection committee’s decision.
Why Suryakumar Yadav Over Hardik Pandya?
Agarkar noted that fitness issues had been a significant challenge for Pandya over the past two years. “Hardik is a very important player with skill sets that are hard to find. However, his fitness has been a recurring issue, which complicates things for both the coach and the selectors. As we look ahead to the 2026 World Cup, we wanted to explore other options. Our primary concern was finding someone who is consistently available,” Agarkar said.
Pandya had suffered an ankle injury during the 2023 ODI World Cup, which ruled him out of the tournament and kept him sidelined until the start of IPL 2024. Despite his leadership experience, Pandya participated in only 46 of the 79 T20Is India played since early 2022, which further contributed to the decision to consider alternatives.
In contrast, Suryakumar Yadav, who has previously captained the Mumbai state team and led India in T20I series against Australia and South Africa, was seen as a viable alternative. Agarkar mentioned that feedback from the Indian team players played a crucial role in Yadav’s selection. “Suryakumar Yadav was appointed captain because he is one of the most deserving candidates. We received positive feedback from the dressing room about his leadership qualities. He possesses a sharp cricketing mind, is among the best T20 batters in the world, and is likely to be available for all matches. These qualities make him a strong candidate for the role,” Agarkar added.
SKY's First Big Test: IND vs SL T20 Series
Suryakumar Yadav’s first assignment as the official T20I captain will be the tour of Sri Lanka, where India will play three T20Is from July 27 to 30. This series will also mark Gautam Gambhir’s debut as the new head coach of the Indian team. While Hardik Pandya will be part of the series, he will no longer serve as vice-captain. Shubman Gill, who led India to a 4-1 series win in Zimbabwe earlier this month, has been promoted to the vice-captaincy role.
