India are preparing hard for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. Suryakumar Yadav will lead the side despite Hardik Pandya’s presence. Pandya was ignored by the selection committee and the new head coach Gautam Gambhir, who voted in favour of SKY. Hardik, who was India’s vice-captain during the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, was not considered.

Meanwhile, former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris has heaped massive praise on the all-rounder star. He feels Hardik is like Ben Stokes but he needs to show his talent.

“I want Hardik to work on his fitness and dominate world cricket. It is not easy to bowl as it requires a lot of hard work but he has got all the skills to become a genuine all-rounder. I want him to contribute with the bat and ball,” Scott Styris told PTI.

“He is a phenomenal cricketer, who can be impactful. I am happy that he was not given Team India’s captaincy for the series. Let him play as an all-rounder and enjoy his game. He is in a similar zone as someone like Ben Stokes but he needs to be consistent,” he added.

Hardik is a part of T20IS series but will miss three one-day internationals due to personal reasons.