Sri Lanka v India, ODI Series: India Predicted Squad

The Indian selectors will meet on Sunday to pick the team for the upcoming 5 ODIs against Sri Lanka, starting from August 20. The visitors have already clinched the Test series, with the third Test set to begin from August 12, and the Indians will be looking to drop the whites with a clean sweep. Chairman of selectors MSK Prasad is currently in Kandy to have an eye on the performances of the players while Devang Gandhi, the other selector, is in South Africa with the India A team. If reports are to be believed, selectors will take the final decision on the ODI squad via conference call.

A change of wind is likely to take place, with skipper Virat Kohli, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and spin spearhead Ravichandran Ashwin are certain to cool off their heels after a hectic season. Since the Caribbean tour last year, India have taken the field on 43 occasions, across all the formats, with captain Kohli turning up on 42 times games. Giving a break to Kohli will mean that the captain’s armband will be passed on to a new player. Ajinkya Rahane is the likely candidate, as he has led India before in three ODI’s and he also happens to be the deputy to Kohli. But his uncertain case in ODIs might well mean that Rohit Sharma gets a look in. The opener has an impressive IPL record and has also cemented his place in the shorter format of the game.

Openers: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane

Opener Rohit Sharma had a memorable Champions Trophy 2017, apart from missing out in the finals, Sharma scored 304 runs at a healthy average of 76 along with a couple of half centuries and an unbeaten textbook classic 123 against semi-finalists Bangladesh. He was India’s second highest run getter in the ICC event, just 34 runs short of golden bat winner, and his opening partner Shikhar Dhawan. Talking about Dhawan, the easy going ‘Jatt’ is having a good time out in the middle. After a ‘fun-filled’ Champions Trophy, the southpaw scored an impressive 190 in the 1st Test against Sri Lanka. All those questioning his inclusion into the side had to eat humble-pie, as the Delhite expressed himself with the bat on a consistent basis.

Though Ajinkya Rahane was snubbed from the Champions Trophy, his fine touch in the longer version of the game might well earn him a place for the ODIs. The reliable batter has scored a fifty in the first Test match and continued his good form with a 132 at Colombo. With a bagful of hard hitting batsmen in the lineup, Rahane is an ideal option for the rescue act.

Middle Order: Manish Pandey, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jhadav

Karnataka’s Manish Pandey had an outstanding tournament in South Africa, where he scored – 55,41*,86*,93* and 32* in the final against South Africa, which India won by seven wickets. Clearly, Pandey has put a heavy price on his wicket and is determined to break into the national team. This will be a perfect opportunity for the middle-order batsman to make an impression, with the middle looking for a stable option if only Kohli watches the entire One-Dayers from home. Veteran Yuvraj Singh has played 304 ODIs so far for India, but he knows the importance of the upcoming five games. The southpaw had an ordinary string of scores, with the only highlight being a fifty against arch-rivals Pakistan in the group stage of the Champions Trophy, and he will be raring to get back to hitting the white leather.

Wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni doesn’t need to sweat much on the team composition and other happenings, he can silently make his way out in the middle during the slog overs and print out a few cameos to the file of finishers. He didn’t get to bat much in the last ICC tournament, turning out only twice and scoring a 63 in a losing cause against Sri Lanka. He likes to play against the Lankans, as he has done exceptionally well with the bat against the friendly neighbours. Another man who will look to come out of the closet is 32-year old Kedar Jadhav. The power-hitter carries an average of 55 plus in ODIs and has already marked a name for himself in the series against England earlier this year. His bowling is also an asset to the side. The off-break bowler picked 3 crucial wickets in the Champions Trophy and single-handedly halted Bangladesh’s run flow in the semis. He will be the one to look forward to.

All-rounder: Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya

A chanceless 76 in the Champions Trophy final against Pakistan saw the emergence of a potential match-winner in flamboyant Hardik Pandya. The all-rounder picked up 4 wickets in the Champions Trophy, and since making his debut against New Zealand in Dharamshala last year, the young gun has picked up 19 wickets at an average of 34.73. His brutal hitting towards the end of the innings is what India needs at the moment.

He has already got a feel of the Island nation, as he made his debut in the ongoing Test series, scoring a fifty right away in the first game. And therefore he can make use of the momentum and make a swift shift to the shorter format of the game. With Jadeja likely to be rested, Pandya’s all-round ability will come in the picture.

The other Pandya- Krunal Pandya has played just one first-class match so far and picked up two wickets in that game against Gujarat. But his heroics in the Indian Premier League has helped his side Mumbai Indians lift the prestigious trophy this year. 26-year old Pandya has scored 480 runs so far from 25 matches at a strike rate of 158.41.  He has also scalped 16 wickets, out of which 10 came this season. It won’t be surprising to see the Pandya brothers milking the Lankans on a silent afternoon.

Spinners: Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar Patel

The Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore bowed down to the 27-year old Haryana’s Yuzvendra Chahal, when the leg-break googly bowler’s 6/25 broke the back the England side.  He will provide a lot of variations in the absence of Ashwin and Jadeja. Chahal has so far picked up 17 international wickets and will eager to make a difference.

He will fight for his place against Axar Patel, who has more experience under his belt and has been recently called in as the replacement for suspended Jadeja. Patel hasn’t featured for India this year. The left-arm orthodox bowler has 35 wickets from 30 ODIs at a striking economy of 4.38. His ability to control the flow of runs might just work in his favour, when the wise men sit down for the meeting.

Fast Bowlers: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Siddharth Kaul

Right arm medium pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the highest wicket taker for India at the Champions Trophy, with 7 wickets from 5 matches at an average of  28.14 with an impressive economy under 4.2. He will bring his experience into play. Even though the pacer failed to pick up wickets in West Indies but his line and length will be crucial against Sri Lanka. Jasprit Bumrah too picks himself in the squad after establishing himself as the ‘go to man’ during challenging scenarios. Bumrah’s death over play will be a threat to the hosts as he hardly gives anything away and is usually very accurate with his deliveries. The can unsettle the batsman at the crease and if needed goes for the sticks without worrying much.

Mohammed Shami looks like an uncertainty, considering the fact that he needs to be monitored closely. But he will look to be a part of the squad, as he got a lot of confidence since his comeback and has done fairly well against West Indies and now against Sri Lanka in the Test series so far. If he makes the cut then he will be the one to watch out for in the ODI series. Punjab’s Siddharth Kaul will keep an eye on his cell phone since his match-winning performance in the recently concluded India A’s  tour of South Africa made headlines. 27-year old Kaul picked up 8 wickets from four games and has over 160 wickets from 45 first-class games. A confidence booster for the promising pacer can do wonders in the time to come.