Why are Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav not playing India vs Sri Lanka T20I series?
Injury-hit India are missing as many as seven players, including Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav, among others, for their three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, which begins on Thursday in Lucknow.
Kohli, the team's top-ranked T20I batter, has been rested for all three games. Young wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who cemented his place in the middle order, has been given a break as well. Both players have featured in almost every game since India's tour of South Africa last year and deserve a breather.
KL Rahul, who was slated to be the team's vice-captain, picked up a hamstring injury while fielding during India's recent ODI series against West Indies. Similarly, all-rounder Washington Sundar also suffered a hamstring injury earlier this month. Both players will also miss out on the entire series against Sri Lanka as well.
Arguably the most telling blow would be Suryakumar Yadav's absence. The middle-order batter was stunning against West Indies, emerging as the top run-scorer in both ODIs and T20Is. He has made the crucial No.5 position his own and would've loved to continue the same against Sri Lanka.
However, he sustained a hairline fracture while fielding in the third T20I against the West Indies on Sunday, which has ruled him out too. Pacer Deepak Chahar also pulled his hamstring during the same game. He'll now undergo five to six weeks of rehab, making him the sixth absentee.
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Ruturaj Gaikwad, who opened alongside Ishan Kishan in the final T20I against West Indies, has also been sidelined due to a wrist injury.
The glut of injuries has opened questions about the team's excessive workload and failure to rotate players well. Skipper Rohit Sharma also acknowledged the same recently, saying India will need to be "very careful" going forward.
What does India's playing 11 looks like without Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav?
Sri Lanka have won the toss and they will bowl first in the 1st T20I.
A look at our Playing XI for the game.
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India have been boosted by the return of Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja. Shreyas Iyer has taken Kohli's place at No.3 while all-rounder Deepak Hooda has got his maiden T20I cap to replace Yadav at No.5.
Here's a look at the playing 11: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Venkatesh Iyer, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah and Yuzvendra Chahal.