Gautam Gambhir didn’t agree to work with a captain having fitness issues, says BCCI official

After veteran batsman Rohit Sharma’s retirement from T20Is, vice-captain Hardik Pandya was expected to be the frontrunner to lead the team in the shortest format of the game. However, in an unexpected turn, Suryakumar Yadav has emerged as the top contender for the captaincy job.

Speculation is rife that it is because of a split decision among the board officials, new head coach Gautam Gambhir and the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee. Gambhir and Agarkar inclined Surya’s name as a probable candidate to replace Rohit as the T20I leader.

According to a BCCI official, Gambhir did not take Surya’s name directly but he made it clear that he would prefer a captain whose workload management is not a concern. With Surya being a white-ball specialist and the best batter in the format after Rohit and Kohli’s retirement, it was a no-brainer.

“Although Gambhir did not directly pitch for Surya in the call, he made it amply clear that he would want to work with a captain whose workload does not become a stumbling block. Agarkar was clear with his views,” said the BCCI official.