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Team India left for Sri Lanka from Mumbai following a joint press conference by new head coach Gautam Gambhir and the selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar on Monday, July 22. The players were seen boarding a bus to reach Mumbai airport before leaving for the island country.
The Suryakumar Yadav-led side will play three T20Is in Pallekele on July 27, 28 and 30. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be available for the three ODIs in Colombo on August 2, 4 and 7. Shubman Gill has been appointed as new vice-captain ahead of Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul in T20Is and ODIs, respectively.
In a video shared by news agency ANI, Gautam Gambhir, Abhishek Nayar (assistant coach), Sanju Samson, Ravi Bishnoi, and Shubman Gill were seen boarding the team bus for the airport to leave for Sri Lanka.
Watch the clips below:
Ajit Agarkar explains why Suryakumar Yadav was appointed T20I captain ahead of Sri Lanka tour
Ajit Agarkar has explained why Suryakumar Yadav was appointed as India’s T20I captain ahead of Hardik Pandya ahead of the Sri Lanka tour. He said (via PTI):
"Suryakumar Yadav was made the captain because he is one of the most deserving candidates. We have been getting the feedbacks from the dressing room. He has got great cricket brain, he is one of the best T20 batters in the world, and the one who is likely to play all the games.
“Hardik is a very important player. He has the skillsets, which are very difficult to find. Fitness has been a challenge. That was the thought behind it. We wanted the one who is available all the time. Surya has got the necessary quality that you need to succeed as a captain," he added.
Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir has backed Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to play till the 2027 ODI World Cup subject to fitness.
“They have shown what they can deliver at the big stage. Whether it is the T20 World Cup or the ODI World Cup. I think both of them have lot more cricket left in them. We’ve got the Champions Trophy, a tour of Australia, so they will be motivated,” Gambhir said in a press conference.
“If they keep their fitness then even the 2027 World Cup. To answer how much cricket is left in them is difficult. Any team that has players of their class would love to have them for as long as possible,” he added.
India squads for T20I and ODIs in Sri Lanka:
ODI Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Ꮪhubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.
T20I Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Ꮪhubman Gill (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj.
