Suryakumar Yadav-led India oblige for selfies before departing for Sri Lanka

The Indian cricket team, under the new leadership of Suryakumar Yadav departed to Sri Lanka on Monday, July 22, 2024. The Men in Blue are set to face the island nation in a three-match T20I and ODI series.

This tour marks a significant shift in India's T20I squad, as veterans Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirement from the format after India's T20 World Cup 2024 win.

The series, set to begin on July 27, will be a testing ground for the new-look Indian team under Yadav's captaincy. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared behind-the-scenes footage of the players' journey.

Accompanying the team is the newly appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir, along with assistant coach Abhishek Nayar. Gambhir confirmed in a pre-tour press conference that Ryan ten Doeschate would join the coaching staff later.

Also read: Hardik Pandya hugs fan at airport before boarding Sri Lanka flight

 Surya has the qualities necessary to be a captain: Ajit Agarkar

Former spinner Sairaj Bahutule has been appointed as the interim bowling coach with expectations that South African pacer Morne Morkel will join the team after the series. The decision to appoint Yadav as full-time T20I captain over Hardik Pandya raised eyebrows, however, Ajit Agarkar, chairman of selectors, addressed this choice.

"Regarding Hardik, he's still a very important player for us. Fitness has obviously been a challenge for him... Then it becomes difficult for the coach or selectors. Fitness is a clear challenge and we want someone who is available more often than not. Having said that, we believe Surya has the qualities necessary to be a captain," Agarkar said.

Also read: Team India departs for Sri Lanka for multi-format series

Agarkar emphasized the importance of player availability and fitness in their decision-making process. He also mentioned that the selection committee communicates with players about any changes in their roles within the team.

"We also feel we can manage Hardik better, we've seen what he can do with the bat and ball in the World Cup. We speak to every player, about whether their role has changed. And yeah we've spoken to him," Agarkar added.