India predicted XI for 1st ODI vs Sri Lanka: Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India whitewashed Sri Lanka 3-0 in the T20I series in Pallekele. India recorded comprehensive victories in the first two T20Is, while the third T20I went down the wire, into the Super Over, where the visitors prevailed.
Sri Lanka suffered shocking batting collapses in all three T20Is, something they would like to improve upon during the upcoming ODI series. Charith Asalanka, who was named the new T20I skipper, has also got the command of the ODI side, taking over from Kusal Perera.
For India, their two biggest names, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, will return to action after a break of a month following the T20 World Cup 2024 triumph in June.
While India are expected to thrash Sri Lanka in the ODI series as well, the Men In Blue, under new head coach Gautam Gambhir, will take this series seriously as they only have two ODI series including this one before the Champions Trophy 2025 in February-March.
India’s top three are settled with Rohit, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli. Shreyas Iyer, who although has lost his BCCI central contract after not prioritizing domestic cricket despite being told to, is likely to retain his number four position, a spot which he cemented during the World Cup 2023.
For the wicket-keeper’s position, Rohit and Gambhir are expected to continue with KL Rahul. Rahul is the incumbent keeper in the ODI side – he averaged 75 during the World Cup and hit a fifty in the following ODI series in South Africa. He was tidy with the gloves as well.
Rishabh Pant has returned now but is likely to be on the bench in this ODI series as Rahul returns to international cricket.
Axar Patel is set to be the left-arm spinning all-rounder, but India will have to make a choice between Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag, and Washington Sundar.
In Hardik Pandya’s absence, Dube is a like-for-like choice, however, he has barely shown any bowling performances in the IPL or domestic cricket. On the other hand, Parag was impressive with the ball in the last domestic season and recently in the T20I series. He is likely to get the nod and make his ODI debut.
Sundar could be picked in the XI—he was a Man of the Match in the third T20I—or India could go with a third seamer.
Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, and Mohammed Siraj are expected to be the numbers 9, 10 and 11.
India predicted XI for 1st ODI vs Sri Lanka:
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar/Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj
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