India's Predicted Playing XI For The First ODI Against Sri Lanka

The Indian team will tour Sri Lanka in July for a bilateral series. BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly has informed that India will tour Sri Lanka for a limited-overs bilateral series. The tour will consist of 5 T20Is and 3 ODIs. Since many top Indian players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah will be in England during the time for the forthcoming Test series against the English side, other players will make it into India’s squad for the Sri Lanka tour.

Although Sri Lanka has dropped in ODI rankings in the last few years, the country has been a tough competitor for India in cricket over the years. India will need to send its best combination of players against Sri Lanka, as the latter will also have the home advantage during the series. Here we look at India’s predicted XI in the first ODI against Sri Lanka.

India’s Predicted Playing XI In The First ODI Against Sri Lanka

Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan should lead the Indian team in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. As a batsman, Dhawan is also the best player to open the innings. Shikhar Dhawan has been a regular part of the Indian team in the ODIs and T20Is for the last few years. He showed a great batting form in IPL 2021. Moreover, Dhawan also played brilliantly in the ODI series against England earlier this year. He smashed 2 half-centuries in three matches, out of which one was a 98-run knock. Dhawan will provide a great strength to the top order in batting in the first ODI against Sri Lanka.

Prithvi Shaw

Prithvi Shaw should be chosen as the other opener for India in the first ODI. Since the start of this year, Shaw has shown a great batting form. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2020-21, the right-handed batsman Shaw smashed 827 runs in 8 innings and was the highest run-scorer of the tournament. He also smashed 4 centuries in the tournament. Shaw carried forward his form in IPL 2021 as well. At his current form, Shaw will be the best option to open with Dhawan in the first ODI against Sri Lanka.

Devdutt Padikkal

Devdutt Padikkal has come to the limelight with his spectacular batting at the domestic circuit in the last one year. In Vijay Hazare Trophy 2020-21, Padikkal smashed 4 centuries and 3 half-centuries in 7 matches and scored 737 runs. With such a brilliant batting performance in Vijay Hazare Trophy this year, he should be given a chance in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. Padikkal mostly bats as an opener but can switch to the no.3 spot in the first ODI against Sri Lanka.

Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav will be a good choice for the middle-order batsman in the first ODI against Sri Lanka. Since IPL 2020 last year, Yadav has come to the limelight with his good batting. He made a fabulous international T20I debut against England, smashing a fifty in the first T20I he played. Against Sri Lanka, he will make his ODI debut. His induction will strengthen the middle-order. Sri Lanka tour will be the best time to analyze Suryakumar Yadav’s ODI batting skills.

Ishan Kishan

With the absence of Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, the Indian team will need an aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman in the ODIs against Sri Lanka. The left-handed batsman Ishan Kishan has impressed fans with his batting in IPL 2020 last year and in the T20I series against England in March. Kishan smashed a fifty in his debut T20I against England. For the wicketkeeper-batsman, Ishan Kishan is the best option for India. Therefore, he should be part of the playing XI in the first ODI against Sri Lanka.

Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer is another crucial player who should be part of India in the first ODI against Sri Lanka. Shreyas Iyer has been a consistent performer for the Indian team in the last one year. With his good batting, he has also been a regular member of the Indian team in the limited-overs format during the last one year. Iyer got injured during the first ODI against England in March and had to undergo shoulder surgery. He was also ruled out of IPL 2021 due to injury. However, he will be fit to play for the Sri Lanka tour which will happen in July.

Hardik Pandya

All-rounder Hardik Pandya should also be part of India’s playing 11 in the first ODI against Sri Lanka. In the last few years, Hardik Pandya has become a core part of the Indian team with his superb batting, bowling, and fielding. He will be a good finisher for the Indian team in ODIs and can also lend a hand in bowling. He also batted wonderfully in the ODI series against England in March. He smashed a crucial 64-run knock in the 3^rd ODI against England. So Hardik Pandya is another crucial player who should be part of India’s playing XI in the first ODI against Sri Lanka.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar should lead the pace attack for India against Sri Lanka in the first ODI. After being out of the field for few months, Bhuvneshwar Kumar made a strong comeback to the Indian team in T20I and ODI series against England. In the three ODIs, he scalped 6 wickets and bowled brilliantly. Bhuvneshwar also has good international experience and has been part Indian team for the last few years. Therefore, Bhuvneshwar Kumar should be part of India’s playing XI in the first ODI against Sri Lanka.

Deepak Chahar

After his international debut in 2018, Deepak Chahar has emerged as a promising pacer for India. He has been a great bowler in T20Is with 18 wickets in 13 matches. He has got fewer chances in ODIs while playing only 3 matches in which he picked up 2 wickets. Deepak Chahar was also impressive in IPL 2021 while playing for Chennai Super Kings. He should be given chance to represent India in the ODI matches against Sri Lanka and play in the first ODI.

T Natarajan

T Natarajan has come to the limelight after his great bowling in IPL 2020. He was given a chance in the away series against Australia last year where he made his international debut. In the only ODI he played against Australia, he took 2 wickets. Later, he picked 6 wickets in the three T20I games against Australia. He was part of one T20I and one ODI against England and took 1 wicket each in both games. Against Sri Lanka, T Natarajan will get enough opportunities to show his brilliance with bowling. He should be part of the first ODI against Sri Lanka.

Yuzvendra Chahal

For the spinner’s choice, Yuzvendra Chahal will be the best bowler to go with. Yuzvendra Chahal has been a regular member of the Indian team in white-ball cricket over the last 3-4 years. Chahal has the ability to find breakthroughs for the team. Against Sri Lanka, he will be a superb bowler to lead the spin attack. So he should also be part of India’s playing XI in the first ODI against Sri Lanka.