IND vs SL: Explained- Why Hardik Pandya And Umran Malik Are Not Playing Today's Match vs Sri Lanka

Published - 15 Jan 2023, 02:32 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:15 AM

Hardik Pandya, Umran Malik. (Photo: Twitter)

In the third and final ODI on Sunday against Sri Lanka, India’s captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and decided to bat first. Hardik Pandya and Umran Malik were excused for India, while Suryakumar Yadav and Washington Sundar were brought in to play the dead rubber.

The Indian cricket team defeated Sri Lanka in the first two one-day internationals to take a 2-0 series lead. In the first ODI, both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli displayed excellent form, but in the second game, the spinners took control as Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj misled the Lankan batting order. After losing the first two games, Sri Lanka would like to restore some of its honor.

Hardik Pandya And Umran Malik Rested For the Third ODI

Rohit Sharma, the captain of the Indian cricket team, has stated that his team will be batting first in the match. He believes that the pitch looks good and the team wants to make the most of it. He also acknowledges that there are still areas the team can improve on and sees this match as an opportunity to perfect those areas.

Additionally, he has also announced that Hardik Pandya and Umran Malik are rested and Washington Sundar and Suryakumar Yadav are in for the match.

“We will bat first. Looks a good pitch, try to make the most of it. Still a lot of areas we can keep improving, today gives up a chance to perfect those. We want to play close to a perfect game, we’ll never be the perfect game. Hardik and Umran are rested, Washington and Suryakumar are in,” Sharma said at the toss.

The Sri Lankan team has also made some changes in their squad for the upcoming match. They have brought in two new players, Ashen Bandara and Jeffrey Vandersay, replacing Dunith Wellalage and Dhananjaya de Silva in the playing XI.

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Avishka Fernando, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kusal Mendis(w), Ashen Bandara, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Karunaratne, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj

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