3 potential captaincy options for India when they tour Sri Lanka
As the Indian Test team embarks on an England tour consisting of the World Test Championship final and a 5-match series against Joe Root's men, the limited-overs side will fly to Sri Lanka for three ODIs and three T20Is.
Scheduled to take place in July, the India vs Sri Lanka white-ball series will see the visitors field a second-string side that won't feature any players from the England tour due to quarantine rules. Star performers from the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) might make the cut, with a number of players expected to make their international debuts during the tour.
With most of India's premier all-format players named in the squad for the England tour, the BCCI and the selectors might need to rack their brains to come up with a new captain who can lead the team against Sri Lanka. Here are 3 possible captaincy options for the Men in Blue against their island neighbors.
Note: India's squad for England tour: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul (subject to fitness), Wriddhiman Saha (subject to fitness), Abhimanyu Easwaran (reserve), Prasidh Krishna (reserve), Avesh Khan (reserve), Arzan Nagwaswalla (reserve)
#3 Shreyas Iyer (subject to fitness)
According to a report from PTI, Shreyas Iyer was the selectors' first choice to captain the Indian limited-overs sides against Sri Lanka. But his availability for the tour remains under the scanner after undergoing surgery on a partially dislocated shoulder.
If Iyer is fit, he will definitely be one of the front-runners to lead India. The 26-year-old has been talked about as Virat Kohli's successor for a while now, and led the Delhi Capitals to their first-ever IPL final last year. With a calm head on his shoulders and a fairly settled place in the side, he could further his credentials as an accomplished leader.
If Iyer doesn't make the cut, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is another name the selectors might look at. The Indian pacer has captained the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL and bowled exceptionally well in the country's white-ball series against England earlier this year.
#2 Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya may not be on the back of a prolific IPL season, but he's still one of the first names on the Indian teamsheet in white-ball cricket. The all-rounder, who hasn't been bowling due to a shoulder niggle, could play as a specialist batsman-cum-captain.
Hardik is only 27 years old, but he's played almost 120 matches for India across formats. He had an excellent series against Australia last year, and has frequently been seen as part of the on-field leadership group for both India and the Mumbai Indians.
Captaincy might be able to the get the most out of Hardik, who will no doubt relish the challenge of being at the helm of the national team.
#1 Shikhar Dhawan
Undoubtedly the most experienced player expected to tour Sri Lanka, Shikhar Dhawan has established himself as a key member of the Indian team in white-ball cricket once again with his performances in IPL 2021.
Dhawan held the Orange Cap when the tournament was brought to a close, and displayed the form that once made him an indispensable member of the limited-overs side. And although his ODI place has never really been under question over the last few years, he should be a fixture in the T20 side ahead of the World Cup as well.
Dhawan has a ton of experience under his belt, having led the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL and Delhi in domestic cricket, and could be right at home as Indian captain.