Gautam Gambhir’s Reaction Goes Viral As Team India Bond During Fielding Drill Ahead Of 1st T20I vs Sri Lanka
India coach Gautam Gambhir sported a big smile as Indian players, including captain Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya, bonded over a fielded session ahead of the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Stadium. The players had a great time as they stepped up preparations for the Sri Lankan challenge and Gambhir was delighted to watch players in action mode.
Gautam Gambhir’s Reaction Goes Viral As Team India Bond Over A Fielding Session Ahead Of 1st T20I vs Sri Lanka (Source: BCCI)
The three-match T20I series between India and Sri Lanka is set to get underway on July 27 at the Pallekele International Stadium. This is the first series of Gautam Gambhir as head coach of the Indian cricket team. Gambhir replaced Rahul Dravid who parted ways with the team following a win in the T20 World Cup 2024. The series will mark India’s preparation for the title defence in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
The India squad for the series had a few surprises in store. Hardik Pandya was the front-runner to become India captain after the retirement of Rohit Sharma. He was also the vice-captain during the T20 World Cup, however, when the squad was announced, BCCI named Suryakumar Yadav as the T20I captain. This did come as a bit of a surprise as Hardik is far more experienced than Suryakumar Yadav in terms of leadership.
Later, it was revealed that Hardik Pandya’s fitness was a concern for the selectors and coach which is why Suryaumar Yadav was named the captain of the side. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar also labeled Suryakumar Yadav as the most deserving candidate for T20I leadership.
“Suryakumar Yadav was made the captain, because he is one of the most deserving candidates. We have been getting the feedbacks from the dressing room. He has got great cricket brain, he is one of the best T20 batters in the world, and the one who is likely to play all the games. Surya has got the necessary quality that you need to succeed as a captain,” said Agarkar.
