Cricket News India vs Sri Lanka 2023

‘Nark me jalega tu’- Fans furious on Indian team management as Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant dropped from ODIs vs Sri Lanka

The selectors have dropped the veteran opener, Shikhar Dhawan, from the squad after he endured a poor run of form in the recent past.

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Rishabh Pant and Shikhar Dhawan (Source - Twitter)

Rishabh Pant and Shikhar Dhawan (Source - Twitter)

Rishabh Pant and Shikhar Dhawan (Source - Twitter) Rishabh Pant and Shikhar Dhawan (Source - Twitter)

India’s squad for the three-match T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka was announced by the Indian Cricket Board on Tuesday. India captain Rohit Sharma is all set to make comeback in the ODI series, while Hardik Pandya will continue to lead the national side in the T20I series.

The selectors have dropped the veteran opener, Shikhar Dhawan, from the squad after he endured a poor run of form in the recent past. Across 22 ODI matches over the last 12 months, the southpaw has only scored 688 runs at an average of 34.40, with a poor strike rate of 74.21.  The biggest omission is that of Rishabh Pant from both squads. While some of the media houses have reported that Pant is out with an injury, the officials did not give any official reason for him missing the ODIs and T20Is.

There will be a new ODI opening pair

The white-ball series against Sri Lanka at home will be Team India’s first assignment of the New Year. The Men in Blue will play three T20Is against the Lankans, followed by three ODIs. Injuries have been a major concern for the Indian team as senior fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami are out of the squad for a long time now and the 50-over World Cup preparations are started already.

Shubman Gill will continue to be another opening option for Rohit, along with Ishan Kishan, who scored a double-century in the ODI series against Bangladesh. Rahul will also make a comeback after a break in the T20I series. Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shreyas Iyer will form the middle order, while Hardik Pandya (VC), Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel are the all-round options.

In the pace bowling department for the T20Is, Team India have picked Uttar Pradesh fast bowler Shivam Mavi and experienced Bengal pacer Mukesh Kumar. Significantly, there is no place for veteran medium pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav are spin bowling options. After a long time, Kul-Cha will play together in an ODI series.

Here’s how fans reacted:

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