3 clear indications from India's ODI squad vs Sri Lanka ft. Rohit Sharma at the helm
Team India are all set to take on Sri Lanka in six white-ball matches - three ODIs and three ODIs. The 50-over matches will commence on Friday, August 2 in Colombo.
The Men in Blue have played only three ODIs since the final of the 2023 World Cup. The 2025 Champions Trophy and the 2027 World Cup might seem far away, but the schedule suggests that ODIs will be few and far between.
India have named a fairly strong squad for the Sri Lanka assignment, with some big names returning after missing out on the tour of South Africa. Rohit Sharma will lead the side, with Shubman Gill serving as his deputy.
ODI squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.
On that note, here are three clear indications from India's ODI squad for the Sri Lanka series.
#3 India are sticking with their 2023 World Cup core
This isn't necessarily a surprise. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were among two of India's best performers at the 2023 World Cup and haven't shown signs of decline in this format.
However, India need to be realistic with respect to what they can expect from Rohit, who is already 37 years old. Can the Indian skipper make it to the Champions Trophy without suffering a loss in form? He'll be on the wrong side of 40 during the next edition of the World Cup and isn't the fittest man in world cricket.
India might struggle to orchestrate a captaincy switch if needed, given how few ODIs are scheduled over the next few years. While Kohli is as fit as ever and as consistent as ever, Rohit's performances will need to be watched closely.
#2 Desperation seems to have prompted Shivam Dube's selection
Hardik Pandya has been rested for the Sri Lanka ODIs, and with India needing a pace-bowling all-rounder who can fill in, Shivam Dube has been called up. Nitish Reddy would've arguably been a better option, but the youngster is reportedly injured.
It's hard to think of a reason behind Dube's selection apart from desperation. The tall left-hander is a good hitter of spin, but he has clear holes in his game that will be exposed by quality oppositions. His bowling isn't reliable either, particularly with just four fielders out in the middle overs.
India have long been without a capable backup for Hardik, and Gautam Gambhir doesn't seem willing to let that continue. It must be said, though, that Dube is unlikely to be the answer.
#1 Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul aren't next in the captaincy line
KL Rahul has led India in ODIs before and has established himself as a mainstay in the middle order. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer had a splendid 2023 World Cup and has been an impressive captain at the Indian Premier League level.
However, Shubman Gill has pipped the batting duo, as well as Hardik, to become the vice-captain for the Sri Lanka ODIs. Rahul's uninspiring leadership and Shreyas' absence from the BCCI central contracts may have prompted the think tank to have a fresh face waiting in line to take over from Rohit.
It isn't the worst idea, for a variety of reasons.