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Why SKY Was Picked Over Hardik Pandya As India's T20I Captain? Dravid's Colleague Reveals

R. Sridhar on why Suryakumar was chosen to lead India's T20I side [X.com]R. Sridhar on why Suryakumar was chosen to lead India's T20I side [X.com]

Former India fielding coach R. Sridhar recently shed light on why Suryakumar Yadav was chosen to lead India's T20I side following Rohit Sharma's retirement from the format in June 2024. 

Despite Hardik Pandya being a strong contender, Surya's consistent availability and ability to manage workload made him the preferred choice.

Sridhar, who served as India's fielding coach during Ravi Shastri's tenure, emphasized that Suryakumar's regular presence on the field was a key factor in his appointment as captain. 

Surya is someone who will be on the park: R. Sridhar

“The very fact that Surya is someone who will be on the park for every match India is playing and not being bothered about workload monitoring is something that has tilted the scales in his favour in terms of captaincy,” Sridhar said.

He further highlighted how Surya had previously led India to successful results in T20Is.

“Some of the matches he has captained India in when Rohit and Hardik were not available have given confidence to the BCCI that he can do an excellent job,” he said.

Sridhar also praised Suryakumar's prowess as a player, calling him the world's No. 1 T20 batter. He believes Surya's confidence, cricketing acumen, and leadership skills both on and off the field make him an ideal captain.

Rohit Sharma, who led India to the T20 World Cup title in 2024, retired from T20Is after the victory, along with Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja. In his first series as full-time captain, Suryakumar led India to a 3-0 win against Sri Lanka, showcasing his potential as a leader and player.