India skipper Rohit Sharma has landed in Sri Lanka for the upcoming ODI series. Alongside Rohit, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Kuldeep Yadav, and Harshit Rana also reached the island nation and are believed to have checked into the ITC Ratnadipa Hotel in Colombo on Sunday (July 28) night.
According to a Cricbuzz report, the ODI-bound players will take part in a net session at the stadium on Monday (July 29).
The report also suggests that the Indian team management has appointed Abhishek Nayar to oversee the session in Colombo.
Nayar, one of the assistant coaches under head coach Gautam Gambhir, departed for Colombo on Monday morning after India registered a series-clinching victory in the second T20I over Sri Lanka in Pallekele on Sunday night.
The other members of the ODI squad will assemble with Rohit and Co. after the third and final T20I in Pallekele on Tuesday (July 30).
The 50-over series between India and Sri Lanka is slated to get underway on August 2. All three matches will be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
As per the report, former South African pacer Morne Morkel is likely to join the Indian coaching staff as a bowling coach. His tenure is expected to begin with the home Test series against Bangladesh in September.
In the ongoing tour of Sri Lanka, former India all-rounder Abhishek Nayar and ex-Dutch batter Ryan ten Doeschate have travelled with the Indian team as assistant coaches.
T Dilip, who is also in Sri Lanka with the national team, is believed to have been retained as a fielding coach following his effective performance under former coach Rahul Dravid’s tenure.
However, it remains uncertain whether Sairaj Bahutule, who is currently touring Lanka as an interim bowling coach, will continue after Morkel’s appointment.
India’s ODI squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.
(With Cricbuzz Inputs)
