IND vs AFG: Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya Ruled Out Of Afghanistan T20Is; Set For IPL Return - Reports

Star Indian batsman Suryakumar Yadav and Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya will not be part of the team for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, as per ESPNCricinfo. The selectors are yet to pick the team for the upcoming T20I series and will sit together on Sunday, January 7, 2024, to discuss the squad that will face Afghanistan from January 11.

Suryakumar Yadav twisted his ankle while fielding during the third and final ODI on the South African tour in Johannesburg. Surya was ruled out from international cricket for a couple of months and has just undergone ankle surgery.

Hardik Pandya on the other hand injured his leg during the 2023 ODI World Cup match against Bangladesh and was also out from T20Is against Australia and the white ball series against South Africa.

Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya Set For IPL Return – Reports

Suryakumar Yadav led India in the T20I series against Australia and South Africa but now will not play the upcoming series against Afghanistan.

The India vs Afghanistan T20I series will be the Indian team’s last bilateral T20I series ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup. Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav will now be playing for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.

Suryakumar Yadav is the number batsman in the T20I format whereas Hardik Pandya’s captaincy has been brilliant for Team India in T20Is. Surya led India to a 4-1 series win against Australia in November last year whereas under Pandya, the Indian team has also done really well in the shortest international format.

Anyone among both the players was supposed to lead India in the 2024 T20 World Cup if Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli opted out from the tournament, however, the Indian selectors will now be able to monitor the form of both the players in the IPL 2024.

The three-match T20I series against Afghanistan will start from January 11 and if Rohit Sharma once again rests from the series, KL Rahul or Jasprit Bumrah might lead the team. However, if none of the senior players are given a chance in the series then Ruturaj Gaikwad is also a captaincy option.

The Indian team faced a disappointing loss at the hands of England in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final and since then Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been out of the T20I format. Both the players basically focus on playing ODIs and Test cricket and are some of the best batsmen of modern-day cricket.

India will start their T20 World Cup against Ireland from June 5, 2024, whereas their second match will be up against Pakistan on January 9. India’s last group stage games will be against USA and Canada on June 12 and June 15 respectively.

India have never won an ICC title from the last ten year and also the T20 World Cup after 2007. India would want to break the nemesis in the next edition of the T20 World Cup and once again want bring the trophy.

India faced a disappointing loss against Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final after such a ruthless campaign.