"Won't be surprised if he..." - Dinesh Karthik drops massive statement on Gautam Gambhir-Suryakumar Yadav partnership

Former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has opened up about Suryakumar Yadav's appointment as India's T20I captain for the upcoming series in Sri Lanka. Karthik said that new head coach Gautam Gambhir might have preferred Suryakumar Yadav over Hardik Pandya due to their KKR connection.

Team India is currently in a transition phase in T20Is, with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja retiring from the format after their recent T20 World Cup 2024 victory in the Caribbean. Suryakumar Yadav was named captain of the Indian T20I squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.

The Men in Blue will play three T20Is and three ODIs in Sri Lanka from July 27 to August 7. The series will begin with the T20I matches, with the first game set for July 27 at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele. The remaining T20I matches will also be held at the same venue on July 28 and July 30, respectively.

Shreyas Iyer Has Grown As A Captain - Dinesh Karthik

When asked if Shreyas Iyer could be India's next captain across formats, Dinesh Karthik stated that Rohit Sharma will continue to lead the team in ODIs and Tests. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah recently confirmed that Rohit will captain India in the Champions Trophy 2025 and the World Test Championship final 2025.

"Must say Shreyas Iyer has grown as a captain, though at this point of time in ODI cricket and Test cricket it's Rohit Sharma," Karthik said.

It's Going To Be Gautam Gambhir's Choice - Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik emphasized the importance of a captain-coach relationship in leading a team successfully. The cricketer-turned-commentator said that Gambhir chose Suryakumar due to their previous working relationship at KKR, where Gambhir was captain and Yadav was vice-captain in 2015.

"In T20 cricket, it's going to be Gautam Gambhir's choice. It'll be a toss-up between Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya. And I won't be surprised if he leans a bit towards Suryakumar, only because in KKR, when Gambhir was the captain, it was Suryakumar who was the vice captain. A captain-coach relationship is the most important relationship in steering the ship, and I think Gautam Gambhir will choose someone that he's worked with, who he knows personally, and hence it could be Suryakumar Yadav," he added.

Hardik Pandya, who was vice-captain during India's 2024 T20 World Cup, has been included in the T20I squad for the upcoming series. However, the all-rounder hasn't been promoted to captain. As per recent reports, both Rohit and Gautam supported Suryakumar Yadav's appointment as T20I captain over Pandya.

Suryakumar Yadav has limited captaincy experience in international cricket and the IPL. The 33-year-old batter has led India in seven T20Is with a record of five wins and two losses. The middle-order batter guided the Indian team to a 4-1 series victory over Australia and a 1-1 series draw against South Africa last year.

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