With Team India set to tour Sri Lanka for a white-ball series later this month, former selector Saba Karim has joined the debate regarding the team’s new T20I captain. India will play three T20Is and as many ODIs against Sri Lanka. While India captain Rohit Sharma announced his T20I retirement after the T20 World Cup triumph, it is highly likely that the veteran batter will be rested for the six-game tour. However, the BCCI is yet to announce the squad for series, and also the captain(s) for the T20I and ODI rubbers.

Amid the ongoing discussion regarding India’s next T20I captain, Karim feels Hardik Pandya should be natural replacement of Rohit, having also led the team in the past in his absence.

“The first thing that needs to be decided is who will captain in T20Is. Rohit Sharma has retired, he won’t play T20Is. So you will have a new captain. I feel there are two contenders. If we see logically, Hardik Pandya should become the captain because he was the vice-captain in the winning World Cup campaign. He also captained India in the past. I feel the preparation now should be for the next T20 World Cup which is going to happen after two years,” Karim told Sony Sports.

Karim also made a surprise recommendation in Suryakumar Yadav, who led India last year against Australia during a home T20I series.

“I feel the discussion should be about SKY because Suryakumar Yadav captained India in the home series against Australia. India defeated Australia there and he also batted well. So he can definitely come forward as an option. If the selectors feel Hardik Pandya has played a fantastic role and can do the same as a captain as well, he can definitely be the ideal candidate. So I feel these are the two contenders,” he added.

Meanwhile, Shubman Gill led a young Indian team in a five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, which concluded on Sunday with the visitors claiming the series 4-1.

After losing the series-opener, Gill and his boys outplayed the hosts in the remaining matches.