Hardik Pandya will lead the Men's Blue in the shortest format of the game. Meanwhile, according to sources, wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul will lead the ODI side.

New Delhi: After Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from T20Is after winning the ICC T20 World Cup, all-rounder Hardik Pandya is likely to lead the Men's Blue in the shortest format of the game. Meanwhile, according to sources, wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul will lead the ODI team.

“Hardik Pandya is all set to lead the Indian team in T20, Rohit Sharma announces retirement. Hardik is also unlikely to be rested for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, BCCI sources told ANI.

In the T20 WC, Pandya scored 144 runs in six innings at an average of 48.00 and a strike rate of 151.57, with a half-century and best scores of 50*. He took 11 wickets in eight matches at an average of 17.36 and an economy rate of 7.64 with best figures of 3/20.

The tournament marked a redemption story for Hardik, who has been electrifying every stadium across India during IPL 2024 after taking over the Mumbai Indians (MI) captaincy from five-time IPL champion Rohit Sharma. The all-rounder, who returned to the game after suffering an ankle injury during the 50-over World Cup last year, became the victim of online trolling and a fan war as he was accused of betraying the MI franchise, Rohit and his former franchise Gujarat Titans (GT), which he led to the IPL title in 2022. given

On the other hand, KL Rahul was dropped from the Blue T20 WC squad despite his brilliant performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup held in India.

Rahul has 386 runs in nine innings, an average of 77.20 and a strike rate of 98.72. Coming in at No.5, Rahul has held the Indian innings together several times in this World Cup.

In India's first match, he scored a match-winning knock against Australia when the hosts were 2 for 3. He shared a 165-run partnership with Kohli and scored an unbeaten 97 to lead India to a historic win in Chennai.

“KL Rahul will lead the Indian team in Rohit Sharma's absence as the board believes he can score runs in the longer format,” sources said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah announced the appointment of former cricketer Gautam Gambhir as the new head coach of the Indian men's cricket team.

Gambhir was a left-handed opener for the Indian team and served as the mentor for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League 2024. Under Gambhir's guidance, KKR won their third IPL trophy this season.

Jay Shah took to his official X account to announce Gambhir's appointment as the new head coach of Team India.
The BCCI secretary added that he has full confidence in Gambhir and will be an ideal person to take Indian cricket forward.

“I am very happy to welcome Mr. @Gautham Gambhir as the new Head Coach of Indian Cricket Team. Modern-day cricket has evolved rapidly and Gautham has witnessed this changing landscape closely. Having endured and excelled in various roles throughout his career, I believe Gautam is the ideal person to take Indian cricket forward. His clear vision for #TeamIndia, coupled with his vast experience, positions him perfectly to take on this exciting and most demanding coaching role. @BCCI fully supports him as he embarks on this new journey,” Shah wrote on X.

Rahul Dravid's tenure as the head coach of Team India came to an end after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2024 final, where India defeated South Africa by seven runs to win the coveted trophy after 17 years.