Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are ready to rock the ODI series against Sri Lanka. Both the players were on a break after winning the T20 World Cup. Both are returning to this series refreshed. Amidst all this, the Indian team management led by new head coach Gautam Gambhir will have a chance to decide in the 3-match ODI series who among KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant will be India’s long-term wicketkeeper-batsman in ODI cricket. The Indian team management will focus on preparing a proper team combination without paying attention to the discussions going on outside. Some important ODI competitions including the Champions Trophy are to be held this season.
In this context, the issue of Rahul vs Rishabh Pant will be a priority. Before Pant returned from injury, Rahul played the role of wicketkeeper-batsman well. He performed well in front of the wicket and behind the wicket. The previous team management led by Rahul Dravid had shown full confidence in him. But now that Pant has returned, it will be interesting to see whether Gambhir gives preference to this left-handed batsman or keeps faith in Rahul like the previous team management.
There is a competition between Rahul, Pant, and Iyer for two places.
If Gambhir and captain Rohit decide to keep these two batsmen in the playing eleven, then they will have to consider how to fit Shreyas Iyer in the team, who has been performing well in 50 overs cricket. In this way, there is a competition between Rahul, Pant, and Iyer for two places in the Indian batting order. If India keeps these three in the team, then it will have to play with five bowlers.
Either Shivam Dubey or Riyan Parag can get a chance at number six.
However, India will not want to take such a risk. Because Hardik Pandya is not playing in this series due to personal reasons. India can give a chance to either Shivam Dubey or Riyan Parag as the number six batsman. Parag seems to have an upper hand in this as he also played the role of a bowler in the recently concluded T20 series against Sri Lanka. This player from Assam also performed well in the 50-over domestic competition Deoghar Trophy. On the other hand, Dubey, who played ODIs five years ago, played only one match in the T20 series against Sri Lanka and he did not bowl in that too.
Gambhir will keep an eye on the performance of Rohit and Kohli.
Gambhir will also keep an eye on the performance of Rohit and Kohli as he has to prepare the team for the ODI World Cup to be held in 2027. Both these players have not played any ODI match since the World Cup final against Australia last year and they will be desperate to make a great comeback in the 50-over format.
Sri Lanka’s team has a mix of youth and experience.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka’s team has a mix of experience and youth. If it has to challenge India, then its batsmen will have to perform well. Its middle-order batsmen were not able to perform well in the T20 series. Apart from this, the Sri Lankan team is also facing the problem of players getting injured. It will not get the services of fast bowlers Mathisha Pathirana and Dilshan Madhushanka, who are out of the series due to injury.
Rohit said – The decision on Pant and Rahul will be taken on the day of the match.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma said that the decision on who will get a chance between KL Rahul and Pant will be taken on the day of the match. However, it is a good headache as to who will get the chance. Both are match-winning players.
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