IPL Team Wise Number Of Players Included In India's ODI & T20I Squad For Sri Lanka Tour

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has played a massive role in creating a competent pool of Indian cricketers. Their recent success is greatly attributed to the IPL and its ability in getting players ready fit for future challenges. It was distinctly visible in the last few months and it’s also evident from BCCI’s selection for the upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka. The selectors have given a massive weightage to IPL performances.

As many as five players have received maiden call-ups to the squad, with a host of first-choice players set to tour England to participate in the five-match Test series. The men who will visit the island nation are not only proven domestic performers but have also showcased their talent in the international arena in their limited opportunities. Nevertheless, even with the first-choice cricketers missing, the tourists should fancy their chances in Sri Lanka.

We take a look at IPL Team Wise Number Of Players Included In India’s ODI & T20I Squad For Sri Lanka Tour:

Rajasthan Royals (2):

Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson quite expectedly got the nod as he ended the first leg of IPL 2021 as amongst the top five run-getters. Though Sanju Samson is yet to make his ODI debut, the right-handed batsman has had a forgettable T20I career so far. Hence, Samson needs to capitalize on the opportunities that he would receive in this series.

Seamer Chetan Sakariya managed to impress in his first year of IPL as he dismissed the likes of MS Dhoni, Mayank Agarwal, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, KL Rahul, and Nitish Rana. In seven matches, Sakariya has claimed as many scalps at 31.71. However, he is unlikely to get the nod for the One-day internationals and play only in the T20Is.

SunRisers Hyderabad (2):

From the SunRisers Hyderabad, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has earned selection and has been appointed as Shikhar Dhawan’s deputy. Bhuvneshwar Kumar created massive troubles for the English batsmen at home by swinging the new ball extravagantly and nailing the yorkers at the death. The right-arm seamer snared six scalps in three ODIs at 22.50.

The second player from the Orange Army is Manish Pandey, who will likely play his first international match since December 2020. The 31-year old has struggled to nail his spot in the Indian team due to inconsistencies, lack of opportunities, and untimely injuries. The first leg of IPL 2021 saw Pandey manage 193 runs in five matches at 48.25, keeping a strike rate of 123.71.

Delhi Capitals (2):

Delhi Capitals opener Shikhar Dhawan will lead the side in Sri Lanka and has been a consistent run-getter in the One-day internationals. Shikhar Dhawan was also in spectacular form in IPL 2021, ending the initial leg as the leading run-getter with 380 runs in seven games at a healthy average of 54.28. The southpaw struck three half-centuries.

Shikhar Dhawan’s opening partner Prithvi Shaw has also earned the nod after a terrific run in the IPL and the domestic arena. Prithvi Shaw has formed a formidable opening partnership with Dhawan and will hope to do in Sri Lanka too. Before the right-handed batsman’s exploits in IPL 2021 for the Delhi Capitals, Shaw also topped the run-scoring charts in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Kolkata Knight Riders (3):

Kolkata Knight Riders’ three players have received the nod for the Sri Lanka tour. Leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who has not played an international game, despite earning selection twice in the squad, managed to prove his fitness. Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav has also been picked and he would use this opportunity to restore his reputation after his recent forgettable outings.

Top-order batsman Nitish Rana earned a maiden call-up to the Indian squad after some impressive performances in the domestic arena. The left-handed batsman performed decently in IPL 2021, scoring 201 runs in seven games at 28.71. But Rana had a remarkable run in the 2020-21 Vijay Hazare Trophy, mustering 398 runs in seven fixtures at 66.33.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (3):

One of the most exciting players in the domestic circuit, Devdutt Padikkal, made it to the Sri Lanka tour squad. Devdutt Padikkal struck his maiden hundred in IPL 2021 to follow his efforts last year when he won the emerging player of the year award. With 747 runs, the southpaw was the second-highest run-getter in the 2020-21 Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Pacemen Navdeep Saini has also been selected and it would be his chance to stay in the reckoning regularly. The right-arm speedster has only picked six wickets in seven matches at a poor average of 75.67. Leggie Yuzvendra Chahal will also use this opportunity to accumulate plenty of wickets and arrest his recent inconsistent run.

Chennai Super Kings (3):

Like Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings’ trio of players received the nod in the Indian squad to visit Sri Lanka. Amongst the three selected, Deepak Chahar is the only capped player, having represented the Indian team in three ODIs. However, the 28-year old has snared only two wickets in those and last played the format in 2018.

Ruturaj Gaikwad made his IPL debut last year and has scored a truckload of runs in the cash-rich league at the top of the order. Gaikwad scored 196 runs in seven games in IPL 2021, with two fifties. On the other hand, Krishnappa Gowtham is a promising bowling all-rounder, whose List A and T20 strike rates are 141.26 and 159.24, respectively.

Mumbai Indians (5):

With five Mumbai Indians’ players getting the nod, it is the highest amongst the IPL teams. Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya have both played One-day international cricket, with the latter recently making his debut. The Pandya brothers are not only explosive batsmen and handy bowlers but also exceptional fielders, capable of producing game-changing performances.

On the other hand, the likes of Rahul Chahar, Suryakumar Yadav, and Ishan Kishan are uncapped in ODIs, but all three have played T20Is. All three have delivered compelling performances in the IPL and domestic cricket and should be ready to do so in One-day internationals as well.

Also Read: I Wish My Father Was Here To See This, Says Chetan Sakariya On His India Call-Up