Gautam Gambhir issues shocking ultimatum as commitment becomes non-negotiable for India selection

India National Cricket Team head coach Gautam Gambhir has made his presence felt in the team ahead of the Sri Lanka tour. The newly appointed coach attended an introductory meeting along with Ajit Agarkar's selection committee and BCCI secretary Jay Shah on Wednesday (17th July).

As per the reports in Cricbuzz, it is learned that Gautam Gambhir was involved in an hour-long virtual introductory meeting, highlighting his vision going ahead. The former Kolkata Knight Riders mentor attended the meeting from his home in New Delhi and shared the things that he wants in the team.

Gautam Gambhir reportedly talked about the kind of players that he wants in the squad and made a strong statement, saying that 'commitment in the players' is one of the most important factors for being selected in the team He will be taking charge of the team from the Sri Lanka series.

India will be locking horns with Sri Lanka in the three-match ODI and three-match T20I series. The tour will begin on 27th July with the 20-over series and the squad selection was the major talking point of the meeting between Gautam Gambhir, Ajit Agarkar, and Jay Shah.

As per the reports, premier batter Virat Kohli along with star pacer Jasprit Bumrah is all set to be rested for the ODIs. There are chances that captain Rohit Sharma might be rested as well but there is an indication that he may make himself available for the series and lead the team.

Shreyas Iyer, who was terminated from the BCCI's annual contract, is likely to make a comeback while KL Rahul will be there too. There are chances that if Rohit Sharma takes a rest from the ODIs, KL Rahul might be chosen to captain the team in the 50-over series.

Suryakumar Yadav likely to captain the team in the T20I format

Suryakumar Yadav is also likely to captain the team in the T20I format. The batter might pip Hardik Pandya in the role till the T20 World Cup 2026. This is because there are a lot of concerns over Pandya's injury history and management wants someone who can play regularly for the team.

Suryakumar Yadav has been the leading batter for India in the T20 format and also held the top position in the rankings. He also captained the team during the T20I series against South Africa last year and did a fantastic job. Pandya on the other hand was vice-captain of the team in T20 World Cup 2024 but his injury concerns might be one of the things against him.

Gautam Gambhir would be eager to start his stint as the head coach of the Indian team on high. The KKR mentor has been an incredible servant of the team and was the major reason behind India winning the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Gautam Gambhir since the last few years has been performing mentor roles in the Indian Premier League. For two years, he performed the role of Lucknow Super Giants and guided them to the playoffs. After that, he moved to Kolkata Knight Riders and guided them to a title win.