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ToggleIndia has already clinched the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy with two back-to-back victories, going into the third and final game. They showed their excellent bowling performances in the first encounter to record a 43-run victory.
On the following day, at the same ground, the Suryakaumar Yadav-led team showed their excellent class in the batting department, where they quite easily chased down the score of 78 runs with little more than six overs, with seven wickets in hand during the rain-curtailed affair.
India can now think of giving a small break to the players who at the end of the T20I series, will also take part in the upcoming three-match ODI series. This will also allow them to offer chances to the players who weren’t part of the first two games.
Rohit Sharma and Co. start preparations for ODI series
Rohit Sharma, who hung up his shoes after clinching the second T20 World Cup title last month for India against South Africa at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, was taking a short break in the United States of America. He has arrived in Colombo for the forthcoming ODI series.
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Apart from India’s captain, a few other players too have made their appearance in the country- including the superstar of their batting- Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Kuldeep Yadav, and Harshit Rana. All of these players checked into the ITC Ratnadipa hotel on Sunday night.
The recent reports from the team sources have informed that these players will start their practice session at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Monday. The Indian team management has already sent Abhishek Nayar, one of the assistant coaches under the head coach Gautam Gambhir, to be part of the practice session. Nayar left Pallekele on Sunday night after the end of the second T20I game in the ongoing three-match series.
The other members of the side- vice-captain Shubman Gill, wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pany, the pacers- Arshdeep Singh and Mohammad Siraj, the left-arm spin all-rounder Axar Patel, etc. are going to join Rohit and co. after the completion of the third and final T20I in Kandy on July 30.
Meanwhile, India’s new bowling coach- the former pacer of the South Africa side- Morne Morkel too is expected to join the ODI team. Even though, the veteran’s participation in the series was expected to happen during the home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand.
Gambhir spoke about the fact that India is trying their coaching staff for the six matches in Sri Lanka, before taking the final call. However, it’s still not sure whether the current bowling coach of the side in Sri Lanka, Sairaj Bahutule will be with the team for the home series.
Morkel is going to train the pacers a lot. So, whether any specific coach for the spinners will be hired is still unknown. At the moment in Sri Lanka, under head coach Gautam Gambhir, India has T. Dilip as their fielding coach, Rayan Ten Doeschate, and Abhishek Nayar as their assistant coaches.
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The first ODI of the three-match series will begin on August 02, in Colombo, with the second and third games of the series followed on August 04 and 07.
India’s ODI squad vs Sri Lanka:
Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wicket-keeper), Rishabh Pant (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.