FEATURES
Follow UsIt is time for yet another routine tour for the Indian cricket team. Starting July 27, the Men in Blue will travel to Sri Lanka for three ODIs and an equal number of T20Is. The tour is not significant in rivalry, rankings, or proving the players' potential.
But, it is significant in the sense that it will mark the first assignment for the new head coach Gautam Gambhir. It is only incidental that Rahul Dravid, the last head coach of the Indian cricket team, also began his stint on the tour of Sri Lanka back in 2021.
The tour also poses many questions regarding whom the team wants to prioritise and what combination they want to use. We look at the possible T20Is and ODI squads of the Men in Blue on the tour of Sri Lanka.
The last time India played a T20I series was against Zimbabwe from July 6 to 14. However, that squad was composed of players who did not feature in the T20 World Cup. Therefore, the last full-strength squad to play T20Is for India is the T20 World Cup 2024 squad.
India’s T20 World Cup squad
Rohit Sharma ( c ), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson, Mohammed Siraj, Yashasvi Jaiswal
India’s squad for the last T20I series in Zimbabwe
Shubman Gill ( c ), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Khaleel Ahmed
Players likely to be rested for Sri Lanka tour
Now, if we combine the two squads and remove Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja (all retired from T20Is) from it, we will have a pool of 24 players. At most, the team can travel with 16 players in the squad and three in reserves, which means that five players from that pool would have to be shown the door.
However, to make things easy, in all probability, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Rishabh Pant will be rested. Thus, India will need to remove only two players from the pool of 24 players. But who would be those two names and who would make it to the last 16 is a million-dollar question.
What could be the likely composition of the Indian team?
It was assumed that Hardik Pandya, Rohit’s deputy in the T20 World Cup 2024, would want to rest for the Sri Lanka tour. But media reports suggest otherwise and he is ready to take the next step and become the permanent skipper of the shortest format.
“He is completely fit and available for the three-match T20I series and will lead the side," a senior BCCI source told PTI.
However, another report by ESPNCricinfo said that Suryakumar Yadva could be given the reins of the Men in Blue despite Hardik being fit and ready to play. It is Surya’s better fitness and brilliant form with the bat that might tilt the contest in his favour. It will not be known before selectors finally announce the team.
If Hardik is there to lead, either Suryakumar Yadav or Shubman Gill might be made his deputy as Pant would be rested for the tour. He will prepare for the long red-ball season ahead. If Surya is made the skipper, then most definitely, it will be Gill, who will be the vice-captain.
T20I series combination
Top order batters
Gill and Jaiswal would be the most likely openers as India’s former batting coach Vikram Rathour said that the team is looking to groom these two as the next all-format players and probably replace Rohit-Virat in the long run. Abhishek Sharma, who hit a scintillating century on the Zimbabwe tour is likely to be the number-three choice with Surya fitting at four. In this scenario, Ruturaj Gaikwad will be in a disadvantageous position and might not even feature in the squad.
Allrounders and finishers
Since Abhishek is being groomed as the batting all-rounder, Axar will continue to remain the bowling all-rounder and therefore an integral part of the Indian middle-order.
He along with Pandya, Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh will in all probability form the middle-order core which will also have the responsibility of finishing the games. Since Riyan Parag could not make the most of his chances in the Zimbabwe series, although he had very few chances at his disposal, he would most likely be axed from the squad alongside Tushar Deshpande to accommodate Dube, Gaikwad and Washington Sundar.
Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel are once again the two wicket-keeping options in the absence of Pant. Samson is most likely to get that role in the playing XI with Jurel being part of the squad.
Spin bowlers
Kuldeep Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi will be the two spin-bowling options for the team, with support from the likes of Axar and Abhishek. However, the team would lack an off-spinner. Sundar provides that option.
Yuzvendra Chahal did not feature in any of the T20 World Cup games and given he is 33, he might be out of the picture moving forward for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
It would be interesting to see if they pick Sundar when Axar is available for selection as they both have similar skill sets and Axar has proved it at the biggest stage. Sundar on the other hand, failed to make it big with that bat on the Zimbabwe tour when he had the best opportunity to become a hero in the first T20I.
Fast bowlers
Arshdeep Singh has made himself available and should lead the Indian pace attack in the absence of Bumrah, Siraj and Mohammad Shami. With Dube and Pandya available as fast bowling options, only two among Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed and Deshpande could get a chance. It would likely be Avesh and Mukesh because of their ability to bowl at any stage. Khaleel could be placed on the reserve list.
India’s probable 16-member T20I squad for the Sri Lanka tour
Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Rinku Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Shivam Dube, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar.
Reserve list- Ruturaj Gaikwad, Khaleel Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi
ODI series combination
After the Sri Lanka tour, India’s next ODI assignment will be a three-match home series against England in January 2025, to be followed by the Champions Trophy.
Keeping that in mind, the 50-over format might not be the selector's or the coach’s priority at the moment. Therefore they can afford to experiment with this three-match series. Chances are that Shreyas Iyer will be in the squad and KL Rahul, who led India in their last ODI series in South Africa, will lead the team in Sri Lanka.
The likes of Sundar, Parag and Harshit Rana might get a look in as well. Iyer last played for India in the Visakhapatnam Test against England at the start of the year. His last ODI match was in Johannesburg on tour of South Africa in December 2023. The 29-year-old had a stellar World Cup and his return to ODI cricket is long overdue.
Before we discuss the details of the Indian ODI team, a look at the last team to play ODIs for India will clear many doubts.
India’s squad for the ODI series against South Africa in 2023
Rajat Patidar, Sai Sudharsan, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (c & wk), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Akash Deep, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Kuldeep Yadav
In the above team, Rajat Patidar, Tilak Varma and Akash Deep might not be the preferred choice at the moment.
Top order batters
In the top order, Gill and Jaiswal are likely to continue as openers with Gaikwad and Sai Sudharsan as backup options. One of them could even play at number three if Iyer is not selected in the squad. Rahul could return as wicketkeeper-captain. If not, Samson might come in at number three in case Surya is only preferred as a T20 option.
Allrounders and finishers
Since Pandya will not be available for the ODI series, India would have to go in with three genuine pacers and two spinners with the ball. Thus, the role of the finisher will become important with the responsibility falling on Dube, Axar and Rinku. Parag might get a chance in the ODI squad but that again depends on Iyer selection. If Iyer gets the chance, Parag will have to once again warm the reserve benches.
Spin bowlers
Among the spinners, Kuldeep could be paired with either Sundar or Bishnoi. Jadeja will also not be available for selection which could bring Abhishek into the picture. However, he would unlikely be the first choice all-round option since he plays in the top-order which would be already filled.
Fast bowlers
Arshdeep would continue to lead the fast-bowling unit with Avesh and Mukesh as the other two options. They would be supported by Khaleel and Rana, who could find themselves in the reserve list.
India’s probable 16-member ODI squad for the Sri Lanka tour
Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Sanju Samson (wk), KL Rahul ( c ), Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Rinku Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Shivam Dube, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Avesh Khan, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi
Players in the reserve list- Khaleel Ahmed, Riyan Parag and Harshit Rana
