Why is Ravindra Jadeja not playing India vs Sri Lanka ODI series?

Senior all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been rested from India's three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, beginning Friday (August 2) at the R. Premadasa Stadium. Jadeja was last seen in action at the 2024 T20 World Cup and announced retirement from the format after India won the title.

So, when he was not named in the Men in Blue's squad for the ODI leg of the Sri Lanka tour as well, some observers felt the selectors had decided to move on from him in the format.

However, chief selector Ajit Agarkar denied that in his pre-series press conference, saying the left-hander is "very important" and is still in the scheme of things. He said:

“It would have been really pointless to take both Axar (Patel) and Jaddu for a three-match series…He has had a terrific World Cup. Not at all dropped. Either of them wouldn't have featured in games had we taken him. There’s a big Test season coming up where he’s likely to feature in a lot of the Tests, so I don’t think three games would have mattered.

"We probably should have clarified that (his absence) after the selection. He hasn’t been dropped. He’s still within the scheme of things and very important as a player."

After the Sri Lanka tour, India will play two Tests and a T20I series against Bangladesh, a Test series against New Zealand, a T20I series against South Africa, and then tour Australia to defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

India's playing 11 without Ravindra Jadeja

Like Agarkar said, India went with left-arm spinner Axar as Jadeja's replacement for the first ODI against Sri Lanka. Kuldeep Yadav was the specialist spinner in the side while another spin all-rounder, Washington Sundar, also found space in the 11.

India's playing 11: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj.

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