Finally, the wait is over as India are set to take on Sri Lanka in the first ODI on July 18. With Rahul Dravid being the coach and Shikhar Dhawan being the captain of the side, this series would go down as one of the interesting series in Indian cricket history.
Sri Lanka are going through a rough patch right now after being beaten badly by England. Now, they must be looking to change their stats at home against the second-string Indian team. However, this Indian team is strong enough to beat them in any part of the world. Let us take a look at the predicted XI of India for the first ODI.
Shikhar Dhawan (C)
This is going to be a new role altogether for Shikhar Dhawan. He now has to show his perfect cover drives and perfect decision-making skills as well while fielding.
Prithvi Shaw
Shikhar Dhawan’s Delhi Capitals’ opening partner will support him from the other end. Shaw has been brilliant in the limited-overs format and this is the perfect opportunity for him to make it to the Indian team again.
Sanju Samson
One of the cleanest hitters of the cricket ball, Sanju Samson will most probably don the wicket-keeping gloves in the first ODI. Samson has been given few chances to prove his worth in the past but he has been ordinary with the bat. Let’s see if he could grab this opportunity or not.
Suryakumar Yadav
Mumbai Indians’ sensation Suryakumar Yadav can be dangerous in this series. This will be a brilliant opportunity for the right-hander to grab his spot in the T20 World Cup team.
Manish Pandey
Exceptional fielder and a sensational batsman, this man has everything to show it to the crowd. There is some problem with his luck that he has not been with the team as a regular member. Pandey can steal his lost spot with this series by playing some good knocks.
Hardik Pandya
If there is anyone who is the most loved hitter after MS Dhoni, then it has to be Hardik Pandya. His fans are eagerly waiting for some big sixes from him in the upcoming series. The good news is that Pandya was seen bowling during the nets.
Krunal Pandya
Another regular member of Mumbai Indians, Krunal Pandya is a good all-rounder on any pitch. He has saved his side many times during the IPL and has even played a couple of terrific knocks for India in the past.
Yuzvendra Chahal
Indian spin specialist Yuzvendra Chahal can be effective on the slow Sri Lankan pitches. His googly could be dangerous for the Lankans even if their batsmen are in the form that day.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
India’s swing king Bhuvneshwar Kumar was left out from the Test squad that made many fans angry but his inclusion in the limited-overs side bring back their smiles. This series could be a good practice series for Bhuvi to regain his fitness and form.
Deepak Chahar
T20 specialist bowler Deepak Chahar will surely get a chance this time in the ODIs. This is not going to be easy for him but the young champion from CSK knows how to deal with the situations.
Navdeep Saini
The extra pace and extra bounce on a slow wicket are required as no one can do it better than Navdeep Saini. He has the experience of bowling 10 overs for India and Dravid would like to start with him in the first ODI.
Image Credits: Cricinfo
Feature Image Credits: Inside Sport
