IND vs SL: "It's Gonna Be Difficult For Someone Like Hardik Pandya To Replace Rohit Sharna As Captain Because Judging Him By Just One ICC Tournament" - Gautam Gambhir

Skipper Hardik Pandya guided Team India to a thrilling win as they beat Sri Lanka by two runs in the first T20I of the three-match series at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, January 3. Former India opener Gautam Gambhir believes Hardik Pandya is the right man to become India’s next full-time white-ball captain if the selectors move on from Rohit Sharma.

Senior players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul weren’t included in the T20 squad, and they will return to the team for the three-match ODI series. Hardik Pandya was named skipper in the shorter format, with Suryakumar Yadav as his deputy. The BCCI had not made an official statement on whether the players had been dropped or rested for the series.

He Is The Only One Who Actually Fits In That Playing XI – Gautam Gambhir

Ahead of the 1st T20I against Sri Lanka, Gautam Gambhir said that Rohit shouldn’t be judged on the basis of his performance as a captain in just one ICC tournament. Gambhir said that there is nothing wrong if the Indian team management decides to look beyond the experienced trio in the T20s.

“We have to wait and watch. If actually selectors have moved on from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, then probably yes. When Rohit comes back, it’s gonna be difficult for someone like Hardik to replace him as captain because judging him by just one ICC tournament, it’s not the right parameter,” Gambhir told Star Sports.

“If selectors have already communicated to Virat, KL Rahul and Rohit, and all those guys. If there’s clear communication, they have moved on from them. Then probably Hardik is the only guy at the moment because he is the only one who actually fits in that playing XI. And then you got Suryakumar as his deputy. So I think, that’s going to be the way forward,” he added.

Also read: IND vs SL: “Yuzvendra Chahal Had A Very Ordinary Game And That’s A Disappointment” – Wasim Jaffer

Virat Kohli | Rohit Sharma | Rishabh Pant | KL Rahul | Suryakumar Yadav | Sanju Samson | Shreyas Iyer | Yuzvendra Chahal | Jasprit Bumrah