Hardik Pandya could lead Team India on home soil for the first time during the upcoming three-match series against Sri Lanka in January 2023.

Rohit Sharma, whose thumb injury has ruled him out of the ongoing Test series against Bangladesh, could possibly miss the start of the Indian home season. Pandya has been touted as a genuine candidate to take over from Sharma in the shortest format as the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) contemplates a split captaincy approach. The prospect of leading the side across all formats has arguably put a heavy toll on Sharma, with his batting abilities being affected as well. The subject of a potential change in the T20I captaincy was reportedly not discussed during the Apex Council Meeting.

The BCCI are also considering a major revamp of the T20I setup, which primarily involves phasing out the senior players, to put out a more robust unit that can meet the demands of the game. With 35-year-old Sharma unlikely to take part in the next edition of the T20 World Cup in 2024, this might be an ideal time for Hardik Pandya to get into the leadership scheme of things on a much more permanent basis, allowing him to build a squad in time for the competition.

The first T20I between India and Sri Lanka will take place at the Wankhede Stadium on 3 January. The other two T20Is in the three-match series are slated to take place in Pune (5 January) and Rajkot (7 January).