Seeking some downtime, Hardik Pandya has requested the BCCI to excuse him from the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka. Since Rohit Sharma is also unlikely to participate, the captaincy for those matches will probably be handed to Shubman Gill or KL Rahul. That said, Pandya is still the primary candidate to lead India in the preceding T20I series.
According to a senior BCCI source, Hardik Pandya is in peak condition and available to lead the team for the T20Is, continuing his role as the designated leader following his tenure as Rohit Sharma's deputy. The tour schedule sees the T20Is taking place in Pallekele between July 27 and 30, with the ODI matches shifting to Colombo from August 2 to 7. Fans are awaiting the official squad reveal shortly.
The search for Pandya's deputy boils down to two strong candidates: Shubman Gill, who showed great leadership in a 4-1 victory against Zimbabwe, and Suryakumar Yadav, who took charge during last year's T20Is in South Africa. Suryakumar is currently the frontrunner for the role, not only because he is viewed as the primary backup captain but also due to his impressive leadership during the home series against Australia and several games in South Africa.
The BCCI has clarified that Pandya's absence from the ODIs is due to personal matters, dismissing media rumors regarding fitness concerns. For the remaining ODI slots, the captaincy battle remains between Shubman Gill and KL Rahul, the latter of whom recently led the team during their series in South Africa.