Watch: Hardik Pandya shares heartwarming moment with coach Abhishek Nayar as Team India leaves for Sri Lanka tour

Star India allrounder Hardik Pandya has joined the Indian team ahead of the team's departure for the T20I series against Sri Lanka. Pandya will feature in only the T20I leg of the series after he asked for a break from the ODIs.

In a video shared by news agency ANI on X (formerly Twitter), Pandya can be seen joining the rest of his teammates ahead of the team's departure for the island nation. He looked in a light mood while meeting his teammates and the new coaching staff.

In the process, he also shared a warm hug with India's new assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, who is a new member of India's latest coaching staff under Gautam Gambhir. Nayar, along with Ryan ten Doeschate, will travel with the Indian team for the Sri Lanka tour as the assistant coach.

Also read: Pat Cummins issues fierce warning to Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma; aims to activate 'beast mode' for India Tests

Watch - Hardik Pandya joins Team India ahead of the T20I series against Sri Lanka

#WATCH | Mumbai | Indian Men's Cricket Team arrives at the Airport, they'll leave for Sri Lanka, shortly.

Indian Cricket Team will play the ODI and T20I series, 3 matches each, against Sri Lanka, starting on July 27 and ending on August 7. pic.twitter.com/ZmBmBqLasH

— ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2024

Hardik Pandya was recently denied India's T20I captaincy in favor of Suryakumar Yadav. Hardik was India's vice-captain when Rohit Sharma was the captain of the team. After Rohit's retirement, Hardik seemed to be an automatic choice to replace Rohit as India's next T20I captain. However, the selectors were not satisfied with Hardik's constant injury and fitness issues, which forced them to opt for a safer option in Suryakumar Yadav.

Exact support staff will be known after the Sri Lanka tour - Gautam Gambhir

In the press conference ahead of India's departure for Sri Lanka, Gautam Gambhir thanked the BCCI for agreeing to his demands of certain members as part of the coaching staff. He also added that the exact support staff of the Indian team is not yet final and will be finalized once the Sri Lanka tour is over.

“Really happy with the BCCI. They have agreed with most of the things I have asked for. The crux of the support staff will remain what it is right now, but we will finalise it once the Sri Lanka tour is over," Gambhir stated.

Gambhir also spoke about the advantages of having two assistant coaches as they can involve themselves in all three departments, batting, bowling, and fielding.

"Yes, Abhishek (Nayar) is the assistant coach, and Ryan ten Doeschate is the assistant coach. I personally feel there can be assistant coaches who can probably involve themselves more in all three departments rather than just focusing on one, and that is the reason why now we have two assistant coaches as well. And that is the way we go forward, and yes, you will get to know the exact support staff once the Sri Lanka tour is over,” Gambhir explained.

Team India will play three T20Is and three ODIs in their tour of Sri Lanka that will begin on July 27. The T20Is will be played on July 27, 28, and 30 at Pallekele. Meanwhile, the ODIs will be played on August 2, 4, and 7 at Colombo.