Mumbai
Win Projections to be updated soon
Despite being more experienced as a captain and having led various teams in different tournaments, concerns over Hardik’s fitness ultimately led to his exclusion as Rohit’s deputy during the World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean.
Injuries have been a persistent issue for Hardik in recent years, with an ankle injury sidelining him from the ODI World Cup match against Bangladesh until IPL 2024, where he captained Mumbai Indians. He only returned to national duty during the T20 World Cup. Out of the 79 T20Is India has played since 2022, Hardik has been part of only 46.
Suryakumar, on the other hand, has experience leading Mumbai in domestic cricket and captaining India in previous T20I series. He is a key player in the team and adapts well to the pace of contemporary T20 cricket.
The upcoming T20Is in Sri Lanka will mark India’s first series under new coach Gautam Gambhir, who took over from Rahul Dravid after the T20 World Cup. This series will be crucial in forming the team for the next T20 World Cup in 2026. The selectors are set to meet on Wednesday to finalize the touring party, which will include both T20Is and ODIs.
