Who will be India’s next T20I captain? This is the biggest question in the minds of the Indian cricket fans after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from T20I cricket yesterday. After leading India to the T20 World Cup 2024 trophy, Sharma quit the shortest format of the game.
Sharma was named the full-time captain of the Indian T20I team in 2021 after Virat Kohli stepped down following the T20 World Cup that year. The home series against New Zealand was Rohit’s first one as India’s full-time T20I captain, and the journey ended with the trophy in Barbados.
Now, the Indian team needs a new skipper, with the next T20 World Cup set to happen in India and Sri Lanka in 2026. Here are two candidates who can become India’s next T20I captain.
1. Hardik Pandya will likely become India’s next T20I captain
After India lost in the T20 World Cup 2022 semifinals, Hardik Pandya captained India in a majority of the bilateral series the Men in Blue played. It looked like Hardik would lead the team in the 2024 T20 World Cup, but Rohit returned as captain in January for the series against Afghanistan.
Hardik was the vice-captain of India in this T20 World Cup. Considering his success in the IPL as a leader, Pandya can be the best choice to lead India in T20Is next.
2. Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav captained India in the bilateral T20I series against Australia and South Africa when Hardik Pandya was injured. Yadav has a great relationship with all cricketers, and he has proven himself as a game-changer in T20Is.
Also, Yadav is not a regular member of India’s ODI and Test teams at the moment. Hence, he can be another option to take over the reins of the team in the T20I format.
