3 Indian players who will have a lot to prove in the ODI series against Sri Lanka
Team India's road to the 2023 ODI World Cup will undoubtedly be full of challenges, with one of them being a three-match series against Sri Lanka in January.
Guwahati, Kolkata, and Trivandrum will host the encounters, with the opening game of the series taking place on January 10. India's squad selection has already come under a lot of criticism, with the outgoing selection panel yet to hold a press conference to explain their thinking.
India's squad for the Sri Lanka ODIs: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, and Arshdeep Singh.
Here are three Indian players who will have a lot to prove in the ODI series against Sri Lanka.
#3 Hardik Pandya
It might seem strange to claim that one of the first names on India's white-ball teamsheets will have a lot to prove, but in Hardik Pandya's case, it might be true.
Named as the vice-captain for the Sri Lanka ODI series, the all-rounder will not only have to contribute in both departments but also make sure that he presents himself as a viable long-term captaincy option in the format.
Hardik has played only 12 ODIs since the start of 2020, with his fitness having caused problems over the last three years.
Can he bowl 10 overs while also batting in the top six? And can he do that over the course of an entire season in the lead-up to the 2023 World Cup?
#2 Umran Malik
Umran Malik has been fast-tracked into India's limited-overs setup, and rightly so. The fast bowler is probably the quickest in the country and presents an exciting wicket-taking option for the Men in Blue to unleash across different phases of the innings.
Malik has played five ODIs to date, with seven wickets to show for at an economy rate of six. His control and thought processes have improved markedly in a short span of time, and he has also visibly troubled batters with his pace and aggression.
Malik could be an excellent weapon for India in the 2023 ODI World Cup, but he needs to prove that he can take significant steps in the right direction to leapfrog the existing pack.
#1 Suryakumar Yadav
It was perhaps a touch surprising that Suryakumar Yadav was picked in India's squad for the Sri Lanka ODI series.
The batter has four single-digit scores in his last five innings in the format and has only two fifties in 16 career innings. He averages 32 at a strike rate of 100.52 over the course of 16 ODIs, numbers that pale in comparison to his T20I returns.
Suryakumar, though, has managed to sneak in ahead of names like Rishabh Pant and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Time is running out for the stylish right-hander to stake a claim for a spot in the 50-over side. While his spin game and intent could come in handy in the World Cup, he needs a good run of scores in the near future.