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Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul have made their return to the Indian ODI squad for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, alongside the comeback of Shreyas Iyer, who is back after a significant hiatus.
Pant’s return marks a significant comeback to the ODI squad since his unfortunate setback in December 2022. Both Rahul and Iyer have been recognized for their crucial roles in the middle-order, a fact underscored by Gautam Gambhir’s observations during their recent IPL performances.
Looking ahead, India’s choices for the keeper-batsman role include Pant, Rahul, and Sanju Samson, with Pant and Samson also featuring in the T20I squad against Sri Lanka. In ODIs, the competition narrows to Rahul and Pant as the preferred options. Pant’s consistent form and impactful performances with the Indian team make him a preferred choice across both formats.
In a recent interview with Sony Sports, Robin Uthappa shared insights into how Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma could handle the dynamic duo in India’s ODI squad for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka. Uthappa highlighted KL Rahul’s stellar performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he amassed 452 runs at an impressive average of 75.33, filling the void left by Rishabh Pant’s absence.
“Both have been incredible and their numbers have been really good. Rahul’s numbers in ODI cricket have been exceptional, and Pant has just had an incredible T20 World Cup. His personal journey has been quite incredible over the last two and a half years. So it’s a tough choice. To be in Gambhir and Rohit’s shoes, it’s going to be a hard one,” Uthappa said, as quoted by Khel Now.
Moreover, the ex-Indian cricketer emphasized that the emerging generation of Indian players must seize their chances firmly, noting that internal competition within the team is intensifying.
“With this new combination of the leadership group, we need to see who is preferred. As players, every opportunity that comes their way is going to be a really important one and players will have to grab it with both hands. So wishing both of them the best of luck and I hope the best man wins,” Uthappa added further.
India is gearing up for a packed schedule leading up to the ICC Champions Trophy 2024, starting with the Sri Lanka ODI series. With just six ODIs scheduled before the tournament, India will primarily focus on Test cricket from September 2024 to January 2025, before shifting attention to the Champions Trophy slated for February to March 2025.
Ahead of their departure for the Sri Lanka ODI series, newly appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir addressed the media in Mumbai. Gambhir recently conducted his first practice session with the selected Indian T20I squad, where Suryakumar Yadav was unexpectedly named the new T20I captain, despite Hardik Pandya’s established success in the role, surprising many fans.
