On July 18, Team India revealed their ODI and T20I lineup for the Sri Lankan series. Senior players Shubman Gill has been appointed vice-captain for both formats, and Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been named in the ODI team. The youthful player led India in the five-match series against Zimbabwe despite not being included in the squad for the recently ended T20 World Cup.
The selectors chose him as vice captain in T20Is over players like Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson, and Rishabh Pant because of his excellent performance as captain.
Former cricket player Aakash Chopra analysed that and said that Gill has been given more responsibility since the selectors probably consider him as Rohit Sharma’s successor in white-ball cricket.
“Rohit is gone if we talk about the ODI squad. Vice captain Shubman Gill is in charge. It’s interesting to note that Shubman Gill is now both teams’ vice captain. Shubman Gill is the vice captain, and KL Rahul may have been appointed vice captain. In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Chopra stated, “It appears that Gill is the heir apparent.”
“This does not contain Sanju Samson’s name. Shreyas Iyer is a member of the team and had a great World Cup. Shivam Dube plays for both the ODI and T20I squads. The fact that Hardik Pandya’s name is absent from ODIs indicates that you are witnessing a larger role for him, the 46-year-old continued.
Star all-rounder Pandya, who withdrew from the ODIs due to personal concerns, will play in the three-match T20I series. Chopra is now unsure about his desire to play ODI cricket as a result of that. Before making a comeback to the IPL, the 30-year-old was sidelined for six months following an injury he sustained during the ODI World Cup. He participated in the lucrative competition, the T20 World Cup, and the T20I series versus Sri Lanka before taking another hiatus.
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“Hardik Pandya’s absence indicates how much he likely sees himself in the ODIs and how much he wants to play the longer format, even if ODIs will be played later. Recall that he missed six months of action due to an injury sustained during the last World Cup. Therefore, you never know how his career will develop, Chopra added.