Team India has departed for Sri Lanka to participate in a 3-match T20I and ODI series. The T20I squad left from Mumbai on Monday, July 22. Head coach Gautam Gambhir headed to the airport immediately after his first press conference since taking over the role. Hardik Pandya also joined the team, sharing a light-hearted interaction and a hug with the newly appointed assistant coach Abhishek Nayar before they flew out.

Hardik will participate solely in the T20I series as a player. Shubman Gill has replaced him as the team’s vice-captain. Although Hardik was once a contender for the T20I captaincy after Rohit Sharma’s retirement, Suryakumar Yadav was ultimately chosen for the role. Ajit Agarkar, BCCI’s chairman of selectors, highlighted that while Hardik remains a key player for the team, his fitness challenges influenced this decision.

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Why didn’t Hardik get the captaincy?

“Regarding Hardik, he remains a crucial player for us. However, fitness has been a challenge for him, which complicates decisions for the coach and selectors. We need someone who is consistently available. Despite this, we believe Surya has the qualities needed for captaincy. We also think we can manage Hardik more effectively; we’ve seen his capabilities with both bat and ball in the World Cup. We discuss role changes with every player, and yes, we’ve had conversations with him,” Agarkar said in a media briefing.

India’s newly appointed head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has confirmed the appointment of all-rounders Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate as assistant coaches for the upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka.

Delhi Capitals kicked off their IPL 2024 campaign with a match against Punjab Kings, where they faced challenges in capitalizing on a promising start by Mitchell Marsh and David Warner. Despite a strong start, Delhi Capitals failed to fully capitalize on their batting innings, managing to score 174/9 in their allotted 20 overs.

Overview of Delhi Capitals’ Batting Performance

Mitchell Marsh and David Warner provided a solid start for Delhi Capitals, adding 39 runs in 3.2 overs before Marsh’s dismissal. While Shai Hope showcased resilience with his knock of 33 runs, contributions from other batters like Rishabh Pant, Ricky Bhui, and Tristan Stubbs were relatively modest.

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Abhishek Porel’s Remarkable Performance

Abhishek Porel emerged as the standout performer for Delhi Capitals, playing a crucial role in bolstering the team’s total with his explosive innings, scoring 32 runs off just ten balls.

Highlights from Punjab Kings’ Bowling

Arshdeep and Harshal Patel were the critical bowlers for Punjab Kings, each claiming two wickets and contributing significantly to restricting Delhi Capitals’ scoring rate.

Despite a promising start by Mitchell Marsh and David Warner, Delhi Capitals struggled to capitalize on their batting innings, ultimately setting a target of 174/9 against Punjab Kings. Abhishek Porel’s remarkable performance in the latter stages of the innings provided some momentum but wasn’t enough to secure a commanding total.