Shreyas Iyer has been named the new captain of the Indian T20I team, following the announcement of squads for the tours of Ireland and England, as well as the Asian Games. The men's senior selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, made the decision, replacing Suryakumar Yadav, who failed to secure a place in the squad entirely. Tilak Varma has been elevated to the role of vice-captain in the T20I setup, which remains largely unchanged from the squad that clinched the T20 World Cup earlier this year.
Bumrah's Inclusion in Asian Games Squad
Jasprit Bumrah was not selected for the T20Is against England and Ireland but has been included in the Asian Games squad, scheduled to take place in Aichi–Nagoya, Japan. Mohammed Siraj made way for Bumrah and Prince Yadav in the 15-member squad for the multi-sport event. Both Siraj and Yadav are expected to feature in the ODIs against the West Indies, which will overlap with the Asian Games.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Selection
In a significant development, 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been picked in both squads. Selectors expressed a mix of excitement and apprehension about his performance on the big stage. Addressing the decision to appoint Iyer as captain, Agarkar stated, "We have observed Shreyas Iyer's performances across different seasons with various teams. He was close to making the World Cup squad as well. He is a standout candidate with ample experience. It is tough on SKY, but after a World Cup, reassessment is necessary. This was the best way forward."
Hardik Pandya's Rehabilitation
Hardik Pandya, currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, was not considered for the T20I series. The management, adopting a similar approach as with Bumrah, aims to preserve the premier all-rounder for the 50-over World Cup. "He is part of the ODIs. Like Jasprit Bumrah, the main objective is to ensure he starts playing well and remains healthy for the 50-over World Cup," explained Agarkar.
India Squads Announced
India squad for Ireland and England T20Is: Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vc), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
India squad for Asian Games: Shreyas Iyer (C), Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun C, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Jasprit Bumrah.
