Saba Karim shared that India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been given a big responsibility to lead Team India’s T20 side against Sri Lanka in the absence of senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul. While they have been included in the ODI squad, the selectors have added more youngsters to the T20 squad.
Speaking on India News, Saba Karim said: “It’s a big step by India Selection Committee. They have realized there is no T20 World Cup this year but in 2024. A big responsibility for Hardik Pandya. He will lead the team. A lot of youngsters are there – Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda. Selectors are looking at the 2023 ODI World Cup, so the T20 team has been given time to build.”
However, Hardik Pandya has also been named Rohit Sharma’s new deputy in the ODI squad in the upcoming series after a poor form with the bat from KL Rahul. Meanwhile, this came after the all-rounder helped India win by 1-0 in the recently concluded T20I series in New Zealand as well.
“It’s good news that Suryakumar Yadav has been made vice-captain” – Saba Karim
Meanwhile, Saba Karim also gave credit to Suryakumar Yadav for becoming the deputy of Team India in T20Is for the Sri Lanka series as well. He also said that the veteran batter is a torchbearer in the T20 format of the game as well. However, he believes that Suryakumar and Hardak’s camaraderie will help the team in future. Notably, Yadav finished as the leading run-scorer in T20Is last year. He hit 1164 runs in 31 matches at a strike rate of 187.44, including two centuries and nine fifties as well.
“It’s good news that Suryakumar Yadav has been made vice-captain. He is a torchbearer in T20 cricket. He deserves it. You have to promote players who play aggressive cricket. I think Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav’s camaraderie will work well,” Saba Karim concluded.
T20I squad: Hardik Pandya (C), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (VC), Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Mukesh Kumar.
ODI squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (VC), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh.
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