Suryakumar Yadav Named Captain of Indian T20 Team Ahead of Hardik Pandya

Fitness, feedback, and availability led to Suryakumar Yadav's appointment as the Indian T20 team captain over Hardik Pandya. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar emphasized the importance of consistent fitness and availability, as well as Yadav's cricketing skills. The choice aims to see how Yadav develops over time in this leadership role.

Fitness, feedback from the dressing room, and consistent availability swung the pendulum in Suryakumar Yadav's favour when it was decided to appoint him captain of the Indian T20 team ahead of Hardik Pandya, chief selector Ajit Agarkar said here on Monday.

Agarkar was addressing a media conference along with newly-appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of India's tour of Sri Lanka where the team will play three T20 Internationals and as many ODIs against the hosts starting July 27. ''Why Surya was made captain? Because he is one of the deserving candidates. The one we know has been around the dressing room over the last one year, you get feedback from the dressing room a lot. He has got a good cricketing brain and he is still one of the best T20 batters in the world,'' Agarkar said during the joint press conference. ''You (would) want a captain that's going to be more likely to play all the games. We think he's a deserving candidate and hopefully we'll see over time how he develops into the role.''

The chairman of selectors said they wanted a captain with a proven fitness record and not someone who was prone to injuries as Pandya is believed to be. ''But in regards to Hardik (Pandya), he's still a very important player for us and that's what we want him to be that player that he can be because those sorts of skill sets are very difficult to find what he has,'' Agarkar said.

''Fitness, obviously, has been a challenge for him over the last few years and then it becomes a little bit more difficult for him and even as selectors,'' he said.

''We're trying to now, we've got a bit more time till the next T20 World Cup when we can look at a few things. It's not rushed at the moment.'' ''We want him to be, you know, as I said, he's an important player for us and hopefully his performances are more important — that was the thought behind it. The fitness is a clear challenge and we want someone who's likely to be available more often than not,'' Agarkar said.

(With inputs from agencies.)