Ind in SL: First look at new Indian leadership — Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav

India tour of Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka vs India first Twenty20 international in Kandy on July 27, 2024

It is rare for an Indian cricket series to be obscured from the nation’s eye by another sporting event. But, such is the glow of the Olympics, that it has forced India’s white-ball expedition to Sri Lanka down the pecking order.

The tour, which begins with the first of the three T20Is in Pallekelle on July 27, though has something significant to offer. It will provide a first look at an Indian side under a new leadership yoke — Gautam Gambhir as coach and Suryakumar Yadav as captain.

Gambhir, whose coaching experience is restricted to mentorship roles in IPL, will seek to identify a core group and build towards defending the T20 World Cup in 2026.

For Suryakumar, the task will be to fill in the leadership vacuum left behind by the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have retired from T2OIs.

A share of the spotlight will also fall on star all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who was overlooked as captain despite being Rohit’s deputy in the World Cup triumph.

Hardik also lost out on the vice-captaincy role to Shubman Gill, who the team is eyeing as the next multi-format batting mainstay.

Gill, who captained a heavily rotated Indian side to a 4-1 win in Zimbabwe after the World Cup, looks set to continue at the top of the order along with Yashasvi Jaiswal.