Newly appointed Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir will need to wait for his coaching team to come together since Morne Morkel might not be available for the Sri Lanka tour. The BCCI is almost finalizing a deal with the former South African bowler, who Gambhir recommended himself.

Gambhir and Morkel worked together for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL during 2022 and 2023. Gambhir has picked his own coaching staff, which is expected to include Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate.

T Dilip and new assistants join the squad

Nayar and ten Doeschate will join the team in Sri Lanka as assistant coaches, and T Dilip is likely to stay on as fielding coach. However without Morkel, India will not have a dedicated bowling coach for this tour since former coach Paras Mhambrey’s contract ended after Team India’s T20 World Cup 2024 victory.

Interim bowling coach as Sairaj Bahutule

According to Cricbuzz, Sairaj Bahutule will step in as interim bowling coach. Bahutule a former leg spinner with experience coaching domestic teams like Kerala, Bengal and the Rajasthan Royals (RR), will help the spinners on the subcontinent pitches. India’s squad has several skilled spinners like Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, and Kuldeep Yadav.

The report also notes that Morkel has traveled from Sydney to Pretoria to visit his sick father but is expected to join the team before their next international assignment, a home series against Bangladesh.

Gautam Gambhir will be officially introduced as the new head coach on Monday, July 22, in Mumbai. He will attend a press conference before leaving with the team and support staff for his first assignment.

Team India will head to Sri Lanka on July 22 and start their tour with three ODIs and three T20Is from July 27.

Fans on Twitter shared their reactions after Shubman Gill was named the vice-captain of the Indian Cricket Team for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. The team will play three T20Is and three ODIs during this tour.

Shubman Gill, who recently led the team in the Zimbabwe tour has been given the additional role of vice-captain for the Sri Lanka tour. He will hold this position in both formats.

Surprising Vice-Captaincy choice

Gill being chosen over Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul as vice-captain in ODIs was a big surprise. There were rumors that if Rohit Sharma was unavailable, KL Rahul would lead the team. However, these rumors were put to rest with the squad announcement.

Hardik Pandya has had an impressive cricketing journey, having won the IPL trophy as the captain of the Mumbai Indians and leading the team to the final in his second season in that role. He also served as the captain of the Indian T20I team for over a year, showcasing his leadership skills on the international stage.

In the T20 World Cup 2024, he was recognized as the Most Valuable Player for India, further highlighting his talent and contributions.

The dynamic duo of Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav continues to leave their mark on cricket. Previously, Gambhir served as the captain and Suryakumar as the vice-captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), leading the team with their combined strategic acumen.

Now, in a twist of roles at the international level, Suryakumar is the captain of the Indian T20I team, with Gambhir stepping in as the coach. This enduring partnership promises to bring their proven synergy and leadership to the national stage.

Fans on Twitter had mixed reactions to Shubman Gill being named vice-captain of the India team for the Sri Lanka tour. Some were happy with the decision, while others were disappointed. Here are some of their reactions:

The BCCI selection committee has announced India’s squad for the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka, starting July 27. Veteran cricketers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are back for the three ODIs, along with KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, who missed the recent T20 World Cup.

India is gearing up for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy, and the inclusion of experienced players like Rohit and Virat highlights their intent. Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav will take over as the new T20I captain after Rohit Sharma decided to retire from the format following India’s T20 World Cup victory last month.

Shubman Gill will serve as the vice-captain for both formats. In ODIs he will support Rohit Sharma, while in T20Is he will assist Suryakumar Yadav. Hardik Pandya will play as part of the T20I squad, focusing solely on his role as a player.

In addition Riyan Parag, who scored seven half-centuries in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Harshit Rana a speedy bowler from Delhi are the two new additions to the ODI squad. Rishabh Pant is back in the ODI team for the first time since his car accident. Jasprit Bumrah has been given a break.

India’s ODI squad for Sri Lanka tour: 

Rohit Sharma (C), Ꮪhubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.

India vs Sri Lanka schedule