TAKEAWAYS
Follow UsOn July 18 (Thursday), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) finally announced the squad for their upcoming three-match ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka.
It will be Gautam Gambhir’s first-ever series as India’s head coach, with Hardik Pandya no longer a captaincy candidate for the national team, across white-ball formats. So, then, who becomes the first choice?
Shubman Gill over Hardik Pandya as vice-captain
One of the major shocking points from the squad was Shubman Gill’s elevation as the vice-captain across white-ball formats. While Gill led a slightly weakened squad for the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, his place in India’s T20I now seems all but confirmed.
Only earlier this year, Gill was named as Gujarat Titans’ skipper for the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League. In his debut campaign as skipper, the 24-year-old looked out of sorts, leading the Titans with just five wins out of 14 games.
"I think it brings out the best in me when I am out there because I look to be involved in the game. It is something that really brings out the side of me which I enjoy being on the field,” Gill said after the series against Zimbabwe.
While his record in ODIs is staggering, Gill’s numbers in the shortest format (avg 29.70, SR 139.50) are quite concerning. It might be future-proof, but does Gill really guarantee a status as vice-captain? Hardik, who looked like nailing the captaincy role has been left in muddled water, with Suryakumar Yadav now being the chosen one.
What next for Ruturaj Gaikwad?
You have to feel bad for Ruturaj Gaikwad.
In under a year, Gaikwad has gone from captaining the national side at the 2023 Asian Games to not even being part of either of the white-ball setups. The Pune-born batter, who played out of position in India’s last T20I series against Zimbabwe, put on a great shift, both at No.3 and 4.
Despite batting out of position throughout the series, Gaikwad ensured that his strike rate — 158.3 — never dipped, with scores of 7, 77*, 49 in the three T20Is. However, he wasn't even considered for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka.
While Gaikwad hasn’t really put on a show in the 50-over format, his exclusion from his best format - T20Is - is quite baffling, where he has averaged 39.56 while striking at 143.53.
India moving on from Jadeja in ODIs?
While BCCI haven’t explained the reason behind Ravindra Jadeja’s absence, it is pertinent to ask whether the Men in Blue are looking at a future beyond Jadeja.
Last year, the all-rounder was one of India’s integral players during the run to the ODI World Cup 2023 finale, and now, he isn’t even part of the ODI setup here against Sri Lanka. Jadeja picked up 31 wickets, averaging 28.19, maintaining an economy rate of 4.60.
So, are India looking at new-gen all-rounders?
In an otherwise full-strength squad, Jadeja’s absence could very well pave the way for the likes of Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube and Riyan Parag to claim their chance.
Dube’s last and only ODI came back in 2019, and the all-rounder has forced himself back into the squad on the back of his impressive display at the IPL for Chennai Super Kings. In the entire 2023 season, the all-rounder amassed 172 runs and picked up four wickets, with his last List A appearance back in December, when he scored 45 off 49 against Tamil Nadu.
Washington, too, hasn’t done outstandingly well, with 12 wickets in 2023 and 116 runs with the bat. However, what works in his favour is that there aren’t too many off-spinning all-rounders in the country.
However, that isn’t the case for Parag, who has killed at the domestic level, with 412 runs in 2023, striking at 125.6 and picking up 14 wickets with the ball. Considering that India are looking for a new-gen cricketer, Parag might fit the bill.
Rishabh Pant outleaps Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson’s rotten luck continues, with Rishabh Pant returning to the ODI setup for the first time since his accident. To make things worse, in his last appearance for the ODI side, Samson scored a 114-ball 108, with six fours and three sixes.
But Pant’s influence on the Indian setup has been such in the limited-time post-comeback that he can no longer be ignored. The left-hander also provides a different edge in an otherwise right-handed dominated Indian setup.
With the Champions Trophy around the corner, it is all but confirmed that India’s first and second-choice wicketkeepers would be KL Rahul and Pant.
India’s next-gen pace attack taking shape
With Jasprit Bumrah rested and Mohammed Shami still recovering from his injury, India have turned their attention towards the next generation of pacers - Harshit Rana, Khaleel Ahmed and Arshdeep Singh.
In his previous tour to South Africa, Arshdeep struck ten times, averaging just 9.50, including best figures of 5/37. While he wasn’t considered for the ODI World Cup, his form in the global tournament in the Caribbean and the United States of America could have tilted selection in his favour.
Rana could well be the fresh blood that India needs, with the uber-aggressive Delhi pacer taking the world by storm with 19 wickets in IPL 2024, bowling across phases. The right-arm pacer showed a wide range of weapons in his arsenal, including having a mean bouncer up his sleeve.
Also Read: Harshit Rana Interview - “Aggression comes naturally to me”
Along similar lines, Khaleel’s comeback has also been pushed by his 17-wicket performance in IPL 2024. He was similarly good for Rajasthan in the 2023 domestic season, picking up eight wickets in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
But the biggest question is whether the squad is in line with what Gambhir envisions for a good future.
If you’ve not downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out — big time. Play Fantasy on Cricket.com NOW! Download the App here.
