Team India Best Playing 11 Revealed for 1st ODI vs Sri Lanka

August 1, 2024 Abhay Kothari Cricgasm, Cricket, Cricket News, India Cricket Team, India vs Sri Lanka, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, ODI Cricket, Rishabh Pant, Riyan Parag, Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Shubman Gill, Team India, Virat Kohli 5 min read

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill expected to open as we look at the best playing 11 for Team India that will help them win the 1st ODI vs Sri Lanka.

After a thrilling India vs Sri Lanka T20 series which India won 3-0, the excitement now moves to the ODI series. Team India lock horns with Sri Lanka in a 3-match ODI series starting August 2, 2:30 pm. The series is significantly more important than the T20 series as it will act as a prelude to the Champions Trophy 2025, which will be played in February next year.

Given the importance, India are also leaving no stone unturned in terms of their preparation. Right from the squad selection to net practice, Team India are taking productive steps in their preparation for the Champions Trophy 2025. The biggest thing that we will see in the Sri Lanka ODI series is the return of India’s biggest players, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Both Virat and Rohit had retired from the T20 Internationals, and will now be only focused on Test and ODI formats.

In the initial plan, both Rohit and Virat were supposed to take a rest for the ODI series with youngsters getting the desired opportunity. But with Gautam Gambhir’s elevation as the Head Coach, he wanted the Indian players to be available for all the matches going forward. Apart from Virat and Rohit, the team will also see the return of Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant in the ODI squad.

Table of Contents - Cricgasm

India vs Sri Lanka 2024 ODI Series Squad List for Team India

Rohit Sharma (c)
Shreyas Iyer
Shubman Gill (vc)
Virat Kohli
KL Rahul (wk)
Rishabh Pant (wk)
Axar Patel
Riyan Parag
Shivam Dube
Washington Sundar
Arshdeep Singh
Harshit Rana
Khaleel Ahmed
Kuldeep Yadav
Mohammed Siraj

Team India Best Playing 11 – 1st ODI vs Sri Lanka

This will be the first time since the 2023 ODI World Cup India will play an almost full-strength squad. The only ones missing in the series are Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah as all three have been rested. The rest of the Indian team is looking to stabilize its batting unit. So, with just a couple of days to go for the 1st ODI, whaat’s the best playing 11 that Team India can deploy vs Sri Lanka?

If we talk about the openers, India have been playing a settled opening pair for a couple of years now. While Rohit is a stalwart in the ODI format, and probably the second-best opener for India after Sachin Tendulkar, Gill has been equally brilliant in his pursuit of excellence in the ODI format. Gill is probably the only active player to have an average of 60+ and a strike rate of 100+ in ODIs.

With a settled opening combination, India may also stick to the regular middle-order that we have been seeing for years now. So, expect Virat Kohli to play at number 3 position, Shreyas Iyer at number 4 position, and KL Rahul at number 5 position. India does have an option of playing Rishabh Pant, but playing him means India will be playing a bowler short, and will also have to alter the batting lineup to accommodate Pant.

Will Rishabh Pant Play?

So, the bottom line for the batting lineup is that Pant may have to sit outside for the initial couple of ODIs at least. Pant is definitely a match-winner, and brings a left-hand righthand combination in the team. But India may not want to alter their settled batting combination, and thus, we can expect Riyan Parag to make his debut in the ODI series. Riyan has been given preferential treatment by the team, and it seems, he will be given more opportunities going forward.

Now, coming to the bowlers, India will have 4 proper bowlers + 2 all-rounders in the side. With Hardik Pandya not there, India are likely to include three pacers. Among the current lot, India will mostly opt for Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, and Khaleel Ahmed. Gauti has categorically said that he wants more left-handed pacers in this side, thus Arshdeep Singh and Khaleel Ahmed are likely to get more opportunities.

With three pacers already decided, India will have the services of three spinners too. Kuldeep Yadav shall lead the spin attack for Team India with no other good spinner available in the squad. Whereas Axar Patel and Riyan Parag will fulfil the role of spin all-rounders. Overall, the bowling attack does seem potent, and Sri Lanka will have a hard time competing against India.