Allrounder Hardik Pandya will likely skip the ODI leg of India’s Sri Lanka tour, while the new head coach Gautam Gambhir is keen on having Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah play the ODI series.
The newly appointed head coach, Gautam Gambhir, is keen for the trio of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah to make an appearance in the three matches of the ODI series against Sri Lanka, which is set to commence on July 27. However, world number one all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who was a key player in India’s spectacular T20 World Cup 2024 campaign in the Caribbean last month, is unavailable to play in the ODIs for personal reasons. Gambhir’s first series as India’s head coach is expected to include the announcement of the Indian squads for the three T20Is and three ODIs scheduled to make up the Sri Lanka tour.
Many people had speculated that veteran cricketers like Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rohit Sharma might skip the Sri Lankan ODI series in order to extend their break after the T20 World Cup 2024 title win. Contrary to rumours, the 42-year-old head coach appeared eager to begin the ODI series with the senior players, as “the Indian team will be getting one more long break thereafter.” The side is having a six-week break after the conclusion of the Sri Lanka ODI series and the first Test match against Bangladesh.
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However, as of this moment, Rohit and Kohli are yet to respond to Gautam Gambhir’s plea to play the ODI series against Sri Lanka to boost preparation for the Champions Trophy 2025. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are both on vacation with their families, far away from the country.
In light of the announcements of retirement from T20 Internationals by Rohit, Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja, it is now most likely that all three of them will be available for the One-Day International series. However, choosing Jadeja will be challenging, as Axar Patel is a strong candidate for taking the place of the spin-bowling all-rounder for India in white-ball cricket. According to reports, Hardik Pandya’s poor fitness record may cause him to lose out to Suryakumar Yadav for the role of India T20I captain.
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