With a shift in leadership, Indian cricket is embarking on a new chapter. Following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from T20Is and Rahul Dravid being succeeded by Gautam Gambhir as head coach, the selectors, after consulting with the new coach, appointed Suryakumar Yadav as the captain for the shortest format.
This decision came as a surprise, especially since Hardik Pandya, who was the vice-captain for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, was expected to be the next skipper. However, considering Pandya’s history with injuries, the selectors and the new coach decided to pass the baton to Surya.
With the stage set, it’s time to focus on the 2026 T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The new era starts with a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. This new-look Indian team must identify players who can fill the gaps left by Rohit and Virat Kohli. The series against Sri Lanka will be a crucial platform for players to secure their spots in the playing XI. With key players like Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav absent, young talents have a perfect opportunity to shine and make their mark.
This series is especially important for Ravi Bishnoi, considered the next-best wrist-spin option after Kuldeep. Bishnoi has had a rollercoaster journey over the past eight or nine months. He rose to the top of the Men’s T20I rankings but then faced the disappointment of missing out on a spot in the World Cup squad.
At the end of last year, Bishnoi was leading India’s spin attack. However, a disappointing 2024 IPL season saw him take only 10 wickets in 14 matches, with an average of 38.3 and an economy rate of 8.8 – his worst performance in any IPL season.
This poor form cost him a place in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad. Although Kuldeep was always the first-choice spinner, Bishnoi was a strong contender to be the second spinner or backup. In nine T20Is between last year’s World Cup and the 2024 IPL, Bishnoi took 15 wickets at an average of 19.3, often bowling in challenging situations.
However, his lacklustre start to the 2024 IPL season overshadowed his international achievements, allowing Yuzvendra Chahal to secure that spot. Bishnoi struggled in the second half of the season as well, resulting in an overall forgettable performance.
Chahal didn’t play a single game in the World Cup, and even Kuldeep did not feature in all matches, missing out on the US leg due to pace-friendly conditions. After the World Cup, India played a five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. While World Cup-winning team members Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, and Shivam Dube were called up, Chahal was not.
Washington Sundar was preferred over Chahal for the Sri Lanka series, indicating that Chahal has fallen out of favour. Although Chahal has a history of making comebacks, Bishnoi is currently seen as the second wrist-spin option after Kuldeep.
For Bishnoi, being dropped from the World Cup squad was a setback, but the five T20Is in Zimbabwe provided a timely opportunity to regain form. He seized this chance, taking six wickets in five games, including his career-best figures of 4/13 in the first T20I.
Kuldeep, at 29, is poised to lead India’s spin attack in the next T20 World Cup if everything goes well. Bishnoi has the potential to be the second spinner, provided he consistently delivers strong performances. Like Kuldeep, Bishnoi is an aggressive spinner known for taking crucial wickets at key moments. Gambhir, who has worked closely with Bishnoi at Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), is expected to help him realise his full potential.
Having missed out on one World Cup, Bishnoi will be determined not to miss the next. For him and many others, the audition begins now with the Sri Lanka series. It’s time for Bishnoi to cement his place in the team.