Ruturaj Gaikwad Named India-A Vice-Captain for ODI Tri-series, Replaces Injured Riyan Parag; All Eyes on Young Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Just days before the start of the ODI Tri-series in Sri Lanka, the BCCI has made a significant change to the India-A squad. All-rounder Riyan Parag has been ruled out of the tournament due to a hamstring injury, paving the way for Ruturaj Gaikwad's return to the team. Gaikwad has not only been included in the squad but has also been entrusted with the responsibility of the vice-captaincy.
Tilak Varma will captain the India-A team in this Tri-series, which also features the Sri Lanka-A and Afghanistan-A squads. With Parag unavailable, Gaikwad will now serve as Tilak's deputy throughout the tournament.
Parag to Focus on Recovery
According to an update from the BCCI, Parag has not yet fully recovered from his hamstring issue and has been sent to the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for rehabilitation. He will continue his recovery under the supervision of the Board's medical staff.
This injury significantly troubled Parag during IPL 2026, where he captained the Rajasthan Royals. He missed several matches during the season, necessitating Yashasvi Jaiswal to step into the captaincy role on multiple occasions. Rajasthan's campaign ultimately came to an end in Qualifier 2.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi to Steal the Limelight
Although the squad features several promising young players, most eyes will likely be fixed on 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi. This young talent generated the most buzz during IPL 2026 with his fearless batting and mature performances.
This tour of Sri Lanka is being viewed as a major opportunity for Vaibhav to prove his mettle. Selectors and cricket experts will keep a keen eye on this young player, who is already being hailed as a future star of India.
The tournament begins on June 9.
The tri-series will commence on June 9, with the final scheduled to be played on June 21. All matches will be held in Dambulla, Sri Lanka. During the league stage, each team will face the other two teams twice, and every match will begin at 10:00 AM IST.
India-A Squad
Tilak Varma (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad (Vice-Captain), Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, Suryansh Shedge, Prabhsimran Singh, Kumar Kushagra, Vipraj Nigam, Yash Thakur, Yudhvir Singh, Anshul Kamboj, Arshad Khan, and Anukul Roy.