Starting with the first ODI in Colombo on August 2, India skipper Rohit Sharma’s task seems to be quite a challenging one. Rishabh Pant is back in the ODI setup for the first time since his terrible injury in 2022; there is a buzz about whether he will make it into the playing XI. This places Rohit in a dilemma as KL Rahul was outstanding in the ODI World Cup 2023, in which he scored 452 runs in 11 matches.
That should have sealed his place, but Pant’s come-back has reopened the debate and put a question mark over Rahul’s spot. Rohit explained that both of them were ‘match-winners’ and hence picking either would not be easy, but added that he was happy to have such options:. Rohit will most likely open the innings with Shubman Gill.
Further, Virat Kohli is supposed to play at number three, with Shreyas Iyer at number four. The battle for number five will be really stiff, with both Rahul and Pant eying to get a look-in at it. Shivam Dube will most likely come in at number six, while Axar Patel will probably turn up at number seven.
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“It’s tough to choose between KL and Rishabh Pant. Both are match-winners in their own way. But it’s a good headache, and I want to have that kind of headache,” Rohit Sharma said during the pre-match press conference.
Adding to the dynamics, Rohit has reunited with his former teammate Gautam Gambhir, who recently joined the national team as head coach. Under Gambhir’s guidance, the team whitewashed Sri Lanka in the T20I series and would want a similar result in ODIs. Speaking of Gambhir’s contributions, Rohit looked at the wealth of cricketing experience he brings and his perspective.
“Gautam Gambhir has played a lot of cricket. He worked for franchises before coming to the Indian team. We played a bit of cricket together. Every new coaching setup brings something different,” Rohit Sharma noted.
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With India getting ready for the ODIs, the mix of seasoned leadership, competitive spirit amongst the players, and strategic input from Gambhir sets the stage for an exciting showdown against Sri Lanka.
