New T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav affirms unchanged role for Hardik Pandya
Mumbai: The newly appointed captain of the Indian T20 cricket team, Suryakumar Yadav, confirmed that Hardik Pandya's role in the team would remain unchanged. In a media interaction, Yadav emphasized Hardik's importance to the team and praised his contributions during the 2024 T20 World Cup in England.
"Hardik's role has always been the same. He is a very important player for the team. The way he performed in the World Cup, I hope he will continue to do the same," Suryakumar told PTI.
The announcement of Yadav as the new T20I captain raised questions among fans about his relationship with Pandya, particularly after the close race for captaincy. However, both players respect each other and often bond during training sessions.
Addressing the change of captaincy, Yadav reassured fans that the team's aggressive brand of cricket would only grow stronger.
"The same train will go ahead; only the engine has changed and the bogies remain unchanged," Yadav explained. "Nothing changes; the brand of cricket remains the same. It doesn't change anything. It has given me an added responsibility. It is good that now I can do a 'walk the talk'."
Reflecting on Rohit Sharma's leadership, Yadav expressed his admiration for his predecessor. "What I have learned from Rohit is that he was always a leader on the ground and off it. He was not just a captain, there is a lot of difference between the two. He was a leader who stood in the middle of the group and showed people the way. How to play T20 cricket and how to win a tournament? That is what I have learned from him," he elaborated.
In addition to the captaincy change, Shubman Gill has been declared the vice-captain for both the ODI and T20I teams, replacing Hardik Pandya. Hardik Pandya will continue as an all-rounder for the T20I series against Sri Lanka, scheduled to begin on July 27.
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Akola hottest in India at 46.9 deg C; Vidarbha under grip of heat wave
Nagpur (PTI): Akola in Maharashtra has recorded the highest temperature in the country at 46.9°C, while Nagpur and several other parts of Vidarbha reeled under a severe heat wave, MeT officials said on Monday.
Heat wave conditions are expected to persist across parts of the state's Vidarbha region till Tuesday, as maximum temperatures may reach 45 to 46 degrees Celsius and touch 47 degrees Celsius at isolated locations, they said.
On Sunday, Akola recorded 46.9 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature in the country, followed by Amravati at 46.8 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department's Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Nagpur.
Wardha sizzled at 46.4 degrees Celsius, Yavatmal logged 46 degrees Celsius, Nagpur scorched at 45.4 degrees Celsius, while Chandrapur recorded 45 degrees Celsius, as per the data.
Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal, Chandrapur and Nagpur experienced heat wave conditions, while several other districts reported above-normal temperatures, RMC scientist Dr Praveen Kumar told PTI.
The prevailing above-normal and persistently high temperatures over Vidarbha can be attributed to an anticyclonic circulation over Maharashtra and adjoining areas. At the same time, hot and dry northwesterly winds have been continuously affecting the region, he said.
In addition, weak western disturbances and the absence of moisture incursion or any significant weather systems have contributed to the intensification of heat over the region, the official said.
As per the Met department, heat wave conditions are likely to continue at a few or isolated places over the region till Tuesday.
The IMD has issued an 'orange' alert for Akola, Amravati and Wardha and a 'yellow' alert for Nagpur, Chandrapur and Yavatmal for Tuesday, saying that the maximum temperatures are likely to reach 45 to 46 deg C and possibly up to 47 deg C at isolated locations.
A relief from the heat wave is expected thereafter and the mercury is likely to dip by 2 to 3 deg C, with the possibility of rainfall and gusty winds in the coming days, it added.
The IMD grades the severity of any weather system through colour-coded alerts – green (no warning), yellow (be aware), orange (be prepared) and red (take action).
