With India having recently wrapped up a successful T20I series in Sri Lanka, the focus now shifts to the ODI series. The Indian team is on the field at R. Premadasa Stadium for the first ODI against Sri Lanka. After a commanding 3-0 T20I series win under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav and new coach Gautam Gambhir, fans are eager to see Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in action once again.
Despite the high expectations, there is one noticeable absence in the playing XI: Rishabh Pant. This has left many wondering why Pant is not part of today’s match.
Why Is Rishabh Pant Not Playing?
The exact reason for Pant’s exclusion from the playing XI remains unclear. It appears that the team management may be giving KL Rahul more opportunities with both batting and wicketkeeping duties. Given Rahul’s strong performances in the 2023 World Cup, the team might be using this as a chance to rotate their key players and ensure both keepers are in top form for upcoming major tournaments like the Champions Trophy next year.
Rohit Sharma continues his role as captain following the T20 World Cup triumph, while Virat Kohli, who has retired from T20 cricket, is set to bat at No. 3. Shreyas Iyer also returns to the squad. It will be interesting to see how this lineup performs under the guidance of coach Gautam Gambhir.
Playing XIs
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (w), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (w), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka (c), Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Akila Dananjaya, Asitha Fernando, Mohamed Shiraz