After completing a 3-0 whitewash in the T20I series against Sri Lanka, Rohit Sharma’s Team India will begin their campaign in a three-match ODI series against the same opponents at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday (August 2). This will be the Indian men’s cricket team’s first ODI match since the loss to Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad last year.
Since then, Rohit Sharma led Team India to the T20 World Cup 2024 for the first time after 17 years. The ODI series will see the return of former captain Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer return to the side. Rohit Sharma and Kohli have already retired from the T20 international format while Rahul and Iyer were dropped from the T20I side, which was led by Suryakumar Yadav.
The series is also the first ODI assignment for news coach Gautam Gambhir as he hopes to build the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 next year. Rohit Sharma and other additional members of the ODI squad have already arrived in Colombo and started preparing for the series.
Team India’s first practice session was washed out due to rain on Tuesday but coach Gambhir put them through their paces at the Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday after arriving in the Sri Lanka capital city after the T20I series.
Kohli was spotted having a laugh with head coach and former Delhi teammate Gambhir during the training session. ‘Chinaman’ spinner Kuldeep Yadav wore pads and gloves for batting practice. Notably, Gambhir and Kohli have had spats in the past during the Indian Premier League (IPL) but seemingly mended fences during IPL 2024. Gambhir recently replaced Rahul Dravid as the coach of the Indian team.
KL Rahul donned the gloves and brushed up on his wicketkeeping skills. Shreyas Iyer was also present during the training session.
In the upcoming ODI series, Rohit and Kohli are coming back in Indian colours after leading ‘Men in Blue’ to a memorable seven-run against South Africa in the final of the ICC T20 World Cup in Barbados on June 29 this year.
Rohit also ended the tournament with a career-best performance with the bat, with 257 runs in eight games at an average of 36.71 and a strike rate of over 156. His best score was 92 and he scored three half-centuries in the competition to become the second-highest run-getter.
The Indian skipper is 291 runs away from becoming the fourth Indian to get 11,000 ODI runs and just 60 runs from overtaking former batter and head coach Rahul Dravid to become the fourth-highest run-getter for India in ODIs. Currently, Rohit has scored 10,709 runs in 262 matches at an average of 49.12, with 31 centuries, 55 fifties and the best score of 264.
Kohli has a whopping 14,797 runs in 292 ODI matches at an average of 58.7. He has the most hundreds in the format, with a whopping tally of 50.
India’s ODI Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.
Sri Lanka ODI Squad: Charith Asalanka (C), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Nishan Madushka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando.
"Deviyon aur Sajjano" Don’t miss the chance to watch the World Champions in action
Watch #SLvIND, 3 ODIs starting Aug 2, 1:30 PM onwards, only on the #SonySportsNetwork #TeamIndia | @SrBachchan pic.twitter.com/SC9mIk3nmw
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) July 31, 2024
Here are all the details related to India vs Sri Lanka ODI series…
The India vs Sri Lanka ODI series will begin on Friday, August 2.
The India vs Sri Lanka ODI series will be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
The India vs Sri Lanka will be LIVE on Sony Sports network channels in India.
The India vs Sri Lanka will be available for livestream on SonyLiv website and app.
