Ajit Agarkar Explains Key Decisions Ahead of India’s White-Ball Tour of Sri Lanka

Ajit Agarkar, chairman of the selection committee, has clarified the reasoning behind several pivotal decisions made ahead of India’s upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka. Among these decisions, the appointment of Suryakumar Yadav as captain, following Rohit Sharma’s retirement, has been particularly significant.

Hardik Pandya, who was the vice-captain during India’s recent victorious T20 World Cup campaign, was overlooked for the top job due to concerns over his fitness. Agarkar emphasized the importance of having a captain who is likely to be available for all matches. “We think he’s [Suryakumar Yadav] a deserving candidate. Over time, we’ll see how he develops into the role,” Agarkar stated during a press conference on Monday, July 22.

Regarding Pandya, Agarkar acknowledged his critical role in the team but highlighted ongoing fitness challenges. “He’s still a very important player for us. Those sorts of skillsets are very difficult to find. Fitness has been a challenge for him over the last few years, making it more difficult for a coach or us selectors,” Agarkar explained.

With the next T20 World Cup some time away, Agarkar stressed the need for Pandya’s fitness and performance to take precedence. “We want him to be available more often than not. After saying all that, I think Surya has got the necessary qualities to succeed as a captain,” he added.

Agarkar assured that Pandya was kept informed about the changes. “We speak to every player if their roles are changed and yes, he’s been spoken to,” he confirmed.

The decision to appoint Yadav as captain was made after considerable deliberation, even before the World Cup. “These discussions don’t happen overnight. We discussed this over the last few months leading up to the World Cup. A lot of thought goes in. The captain should be on the park more often than not. Hopefully, Surya does that and so far there’s never been any concern with his T20 batting,” Agarkar remarked.

Hardik Pandya’s recent history with fitness issues was a crucial factor in this decision. He missed the India-Afghanistan series in January, which saw Rohit Sharma return as T20I captain and continue until the World Cup win. KL Rahul, another significant player, has seen fluctuating roles within the team.

Although once the vice-captain of the Test team, Rahul’s role was revised during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2023. Later that year, he led India in an ODI series against South Africa but has since been replaced by Shubman Gill as the vice-captain of the 50-over team.

Agarkar, who became the chairman of the selection committee in July 2023, noted, “I wasn’t there when KL [Rahul] was superseded, I wasn’t the selector then,” while discussing the rationale behind the changes.

Gill is seen as long term leader of Indian Cricket Team

Gill, who recently led a second-string India side to a series win in Zimbabwe, has been named vice-captain of both the ODI and T20I squads. Agarkar praised Gill as a potential future leader, noting, “Shubman is a three-format player and has shown a lot more qualities over the last year. We want to avoid the situation where we are scrambling for a captain due to injuries or loss of form.”

Agarkar emphasized the importance of having a stable leadership structure and grooming future leaders. “We want somebody who can also learn from the senior guys, Surya in this instance, or Rohit who is still around. He’s shown some decent leadership qualities, and we want to get him the experience he can going forward,” he concluded.

The decisions reflect a broader strategy to ensure the Indian cricket team has robust leadership and is well-prepared for future challenges, balancing immediate needs with long-term planning.