Fans trend 'We want captain Hardik' campaign after Suryakumar Yadav emerges as new favorite to lead India in T20Is

Hardik Pandya was the designated deputy of Rohit Sharma at the T20 World Cup 2024.

The discussion around India’s new T20I captain is heating up with the fast-approaching white-ball tour of Sri Lanka. This need has arisen after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from international cricket’s shortest format after the T20 World Cup triumph last month.

Young opener Shubman Gill led India’s second-string team during the recently concluded T20I tour of Zimbabwe. However, the Men in Blue will play with a full-strength squad in the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka.

Middle-order star Suryakumar Yadav and leading all-rounder Hardik Pandya are the two prominent candidates for the leadership role.

However, recent reports indicate that Suryakumar might be preferred over Hardik due to latter’s inconsistent fitness record as the team management wants a stable long-term option.

Meanwhile, fans on social media don't seem too happy with the possibility that Hardik won't be leading India in T20Is. They started trending "WE WANT CAPTAIN HARDIK" on X, former known as Twitter.

While Hardik Pandya was the designated deputy of Rohit at the T20 World Cup, his injury issues have had the selectors and the coach worried. 

According to a TOI report, the newly-appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have already communicated this decision to Hardik.

The report further claimed that Suryakumar will not only captain India in the T20I series against Sri Lanka but will hold the leadership position till the T20 World Cup 2026.

India will play three T20Is and as many ODIs on the tour of Sri Lanka, starting on July 27. While Pallekele will host all the T20I matches, the ODI series will be held in Colombo.