Ruturaj Gaikwad snatches Riyan Parag’s leadership role for India A’s Sri Lanka tour

Aditya Rao · 31/05/2026 · 3 min read

Leadership Shake-up in the India A Camp

The landscape of Indian domestic and A-team cricket has seen a notable shift as the selectors finalize preparations for the upcoming tri-series in Sri Lanka. As the national team gears up for their assignments against Afghanistan, the India A side has been forced into a tactical realignment. The most prominent update is that Ruturaj Gaikwad snatches Riyan Parag’s leadership role for India A’s Sri Lanka tour, stepping in as the designated vice-captain following Parag’s unfortunate withdrawal.

Riyan Parag Sidelined

Riyan Parag, who was initially slated to play a key leadership role in the upcoming series, has been ruled out of action. The promising all-rounder suffered a hamstring injury that has necessitated his removal from the squad. According to official reports, the Rajasthan Royals captain will now undergo a dedicated rehabilitation program overseen by the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) to ensure his full recovery.

Gaikwad Returns to the Forefront

The inclusion of Ruturaj Gaikwad as the vice-captain of the India A side is a development that many cricket enthusiasts were anticipating. Despite putting in a commendable performance during the series against South Africa, where he showcased his versatility by batting at the No.4 position—filling the void left by Shreyas Iyer—Gaikwad found himself omitted from the subsequent series against New Zealand. This return to the A-team setup provides the Chennai Super Kings skipper with a vital platform to showcase his consistency as he looks toward the horizon, specifically the 2027 World Cup.

Gaikwad’s ability to anchor an innings and adapt to different match situations makes him an invaluable asset for the India A squad under the leadership of captain Tilak Varma. His experience in leading the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL serves as a wealth of knowledge that will undoubtedly bolster the tactical depth of the side currently touring Sri Lanka.

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The Updated India A Squad

With the dust settled on these changes, the squad is now focused on the challenges ahead. The management is confident that the current composition provides the necessary balance of youth and experience required to excel in the upcoming tri-series. The updated squad list is as follows:

Captain: Tilak Varma
Vice-Captain: Ruturaj Gaikwad
Players: Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, Suryansh Shedge, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Kumar Kushagra (WK), Vipraj Nigam, Yash Thakur, Yudhvir Singh, Anshul Kamboj, Arshad Khan, Anukul Roy

Looking Ahead

As the team prepares to compete, the focus will remain on identifying players who can bridge the gap between domestic dominance and international success. For Gaikwad, this assignment is more than just a series; it is an opportunity to prove his credentials to the national selectors once again. While the injury to Riyan Parag is a setback for the team’s initial planning, the depth within the Indian system has allowed for a seamless transition. Cricket fans will be watching closely to see how the squad performs under the leadership of Tilak Varma and the newly appointed vice-captain as they navigate the competitive landscape of the Sri Lanka tri-series.

Stay tuned for more updates as the tournament progresses and the players look to cement their places in the national hierarchy.

Aditya Rao

Aditya Rao is a senior cricket correspondent for Hindustan Times, known for his unflinching deep dives into the corridors of Indian cricket governance and the forgotten tiers of the domestic game. A graduate of Jamia Millia Islamia and a trained investigative journalist, Aditya brings a policy-level rigour rarely seen on the sports pages. His expertise lies in bridging the gap between the Test match purist and the systemic realities of the modern game—covering everything from Ranji Trophy structural reforms to the economics of player development in India’s hinterlands. He has broken several major stories on administrative overhauls and has profiled dozens of unsung players from India’s age‑group pathways. A recipient of the Ramnath Goenka Award and a trusted voice for accountability in sport, Aditya continues to write with a belief that a robust cricketing culture depends as much on sound governance as it does on a solid cover drive.