IND vs IRE: Hardik Pandya Loses India's Captaincy, New Captain To Be Announced Soon

Team India are likely to play under a new captain during the three-match T20I series against Ireland next month. With the series to take place just after the tour of West Indies and a handful of days before the World Cup, Team India will field a second-string side against Ireland.

The three-match series between India and Ireland will begin on August 18 while India’s tour of West Indies will end on August 13 with the fifth and final T20I. On the other hand, the Asia Cup 2023 is scheduled to get underway on August 30, just a week after the third and final T20I against Ireland on August 23.

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With such a tight schedule, most of India’s regular names will miss the tour of Ireland. While it was expected that Hardik Pandya would lead a new-look team in Ireland, recent reports suggest otherwise. The star allrounder is also set to miss the tour of Ireland.

India to have a new captain for the Ireland series:

According to Cricbuzz, head coach Rahul Dravid wants all the players selected for Asia Cup to take part in the preparatory camp in the last week of August. The BCCI is yet to announce the squad for the continental championship but Pandya is set to named in the team. In such a scenario, the selectors will have to look for a new captain.

The India coach has suggested a week-long camp in Bengaluru to prepare for the Asia Cup. The camp is likely to begin on August 24 or 25 before the Men in Blue fly to Sri Lanka for the Asia Cup. The Asia Cup is scheduled to take place from August 30 to September 17 while India are scheduled to open their campaign on September 2 against Pakistan.

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The report further stated that Dravid is likely to make an exception for fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah who is set to return to action after a gap of almost one year. Bumrah has not played a competitive game since September last year and is likely to be a part of the team for the Ireland tour. The team management wants to test the pacer’s fitness through T20 games where he will have to bowl a maximum of four overs.

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