BCCI recently announced the squad which is set to play against Sri Lanka in a limited-overs tournament that will take place in the coming days. The squad is being led by experienced opener Shikhar Dhawan while Bhuvneshwar Kumar will act as his deputy.
The likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Krishnappa Gowtham, Ishan Kishan are all included in the squad and are expected to play a huge role. This series will provide young cricketers with the stage to impress the national selectors ahead of the T20 World Cup.
The ODI series will commence on July 13 while the three T20Is start on July 21. R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo will be the host to all six matches of the tour.
Here we look at 5 India players who could stand out in the Sri Lanka series in the absence of the regular players:
Devdutt Padikkal
The RCB opener has great chances of making his international debut against Sri Lanka owing to his consistent batting performance at the domestic level and IPL. He made his debut in IPL 2020 and ended as the highest run-scorer for Royal Challengers Bangalore. He smashed 5 half-centuries while scoring 473 runs. The left-handed batsman Padikkal was also awarded the emerging player of the year award in IPL 2020.
Earlier this year, he bagged the limelight in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2020-21 after smashing 3 centuries and 3 half-centuries in 7 matches. He was the 2nd highest run-scorer with 737 runs. In IPL 2021, he impressed everyone with a century (101) against Rajasthan Royals.
Also Read: MSK Prasad Opens Up On Devdutt Padikkal’s Future
Suryakumar Yadav
The Mumbai Indians batsman made a stunning debut in India’s last international tour against England. He notched up his maiden international half-century. He has also been a vital cog in the Mumbai Indians’ set-up. The star batsman will look to consolidate his position in the limited-overs side.
He had a great outing in the previous edition of the IPL. He managed to score 480 runs at a strike rate of 145. Although he blew a little hot and cold during this edition the Mumbai Indians player will now just focus on this tour.
Manish Pandey
An old-timer in this relatively young squad Manish Pandey is back in the Indian team. His experience at the international level will prove to be helpful as he can guide the youngsters well. The SRH batsman did not have a great IPL.
Although he managed to score runs he did them at a slower pace than usual. He was often criticized for his poor strike rate. Manish Pandey is one of the fittest members of the Indian team and is a valuable asset when it comes to fielding. He will be one of the key players who will be part of the middle order guiding the team through tough situations.
Also Read: SL vs IND 2021: 3 Players Who Are Set To Make A Comeback For India
Chetan Sakariya
What a great talent this man has been. He debuted in 2021 for the Rajasthan Royals and has left his mark on the cricketing world. His ability to swing the new ball has earned him an Indian call-up. Not only does he perform with the new ball but also can provide the team with some reverse swing with a relatively older ball.
In this edition of the IPL, he picked up 7 wickets in 7 matches. Rajasthan Royals struggled at the beginning of the IPL, but he along with Chris Morris carried the RR pace attack. It will be delightful to see this man back in action.
Kuldeep Yadav
The chinaman’s career has been an absolute rollercoaster since the 2019 World Cup. He has been in and out of the team continuously. Kuldeep Yadav who was once a regular did not feature for his franchise Kolkata Knight Riders this season. It has been a downward spiral for him.
He will certainly be motivated to bounce back. India’s once go-to man for wickets will look to regain his lost form and cement his place on this tour. He along with Yuzvendra Chahal perform the ‘Kul-Cha’ partnership which has been very effective for the team. It will be a test of his ability this tour and with his experience, he is expected to perform well.
Squad for India tour of Sri Lanka
The All-India Senior Selection Committee picked the Indian squad for the 3-match ODI series and the 3-match T20I series against Sri Lanka scheduled in the month of July. All matches will be played at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, Colombo.
India’s squad: Shikhar Dhawan (Captain), Prithvi Shaw, Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Suryakumar Yadav, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Rana, Ishan Kishan (Wicket-keeper), Sanju Samson (Wicket-keeper), Yuzvendra Chahal, Rahul Chahar, K Gowtham, Krunal Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Vice-captain), Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini, Chetan Sakariya
Net Bowlers: Ishan Porel, Sandeep Warrier, Arshdeep Singh, Sai Kishore, Simarjeet Singh