The announcement of the Indian squad for the ODI series against Sri Lanka has been a mix of highs and lows for Suryakumar Yadav. Despite securing the T20I captaincy, Yadav finds himself left out of the ODI squad, a decision influenced by selectors and the newly appointed head coach, Gautam Gambhir. Yadav, who was part of Bharat’s ODI World Cup team in 2023, did not justify the selectors’ faith, leading to his exclusion from the upcoming ODIs.
Although Yadav is renowned for his prowess in T20 cricket, his performance in the 50-over format has been underwhelming. With an average of just 25.76 from 37 ODI matches, doubts about his ability to build an innings and accelerate at the right moments have surfaced.
The Indian selectors are keen to explore other options with only six ODIs remaining before next year’s ICC Champions Trophy. According to the Indian Express, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s all-rounder Nitish Reddy is being considered for his versatile skill set. While Hardik Pandya, India’s leading seam-bowling all-rounder, is absent from this series, he remains a potential future asset.
Gautam Gambhir, known for his data-driven approach to team selection, has favored players like Axar Patel and Washington Sundar over Ravindra Jadeja. Jadeja’s exclusion reflects Gambhir’s strategy of integrating players who offer balance and depth to the squad.
Riyan Parag, a promising all-rounder from Assam, is likely to get a chance in this series. Parag’s performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy highlight his potential as both a reliable batter and a useful bowler. However, experienced players like Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are expected to be preferred options.
The Indian ODI squad for the Sri Lanka series includes:
Rohit Sharma (captain)
Shubman Gill (vice-captain)
Virat Kohli
KL Rahul (wk)
Rishabh Pant (wk)
Shreyas Iyer
Shivam Dube
Kuldeep Yadav
Mohammed Siraj
Washington Sundar
Arshdeep Singh
Riyan Parag
Axar Patel
Khaleel Ahmed
Harshit Rana
