Suryakumar Yadav has been named the new captain of India's T20I team, and while he may not outwardly show it, it might be possible Hardik Pandya feels a sense of disappointment. After all, Hardik led the Indian T20I team throughout the past year and served as vice-captain to Rohit Sharma until just last month, when India celebrated an unbeaten T20 World Cup campaign. Yet, it seems Hardik might not be the only one feeling the sting.

The BCCI's announcement of the T20I squad for the series against Sri Lanka on Thursday evening sparked immediate reactions from fans, who were quick to note the absence of two prominent players: Ruturaj Gaikwad and Abhishek Sharma. Although neither was part of the T20 World Cup squad, both had left a significant impact with their performances in the series against Zimbabwe, which took place shortly after the marquee tournament earlier this month.

Gaikwad scored 7, 77*, and 49 in three innings throughout the series, playing four matches before being rested for the final game. Abhishek, on the other hand, slammed a brilliant century during the second T20I, hitting 100 off just 47 deliveries. While he failed to make a mark in three other innings, Abhishek demonstrated tremendous power-hitting abilities, which remain in sync with India's brand of cricket in the shortest format.

The fans were furious at the duo's exclusion, taking to X to express their disappointment. Many fans also questioned the selection of Riyan Parag in both ODIs and T20Is against Sri Lanka, questioning the reasoning behind the decisions. 

Take a look at some of the reactions:

Shubman Gill has been named vice-captain for both formats. The opener led the side in Zimbabwe, where the team won 4-1. Riyan Parag, meanwhile, had indifferent outings on the tour; he had scores of 2 and 22 across two innings, and didn't get to bat in another match. The youngster, however, had a splendid IPL season with Rajasthan Royals this year.

The team will depart early next week for the tour, which will mark the beginning of new head coach Gautam Gambhir's three-year tenure.

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