India will be facing Sri Lanka in a series of three ODIs and three T20I matches in the month of July. The ODIs will be played on July 13, 16, and 18 with all matches to be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
After the three-match ODI series, Sri Lanka and India will clash in a series of three T20I matches as well which will also be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on July 21, 23, and 25.
The T20I series will be a chance for many of the fringe players on the Sri Lanka tour to stake a claim for the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2021 which is to be hosted by India. While Shikhar Dhawan will be captaining the team in T20Is as well, the focus will be on other players.
Here is the COC Predicted Team India Playing XI for the T20I series against Sri Lanka
SL v IND 2021: COC Predicted Team India Playing XI for ODI series against Sri Lanka
Prithvi Shaw had an amazing first half of the IPL 2021 and would hope to continue that form in the upcoming T20I series in Sri Lanka. Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan had a grand start to their India 20-over careers and would like to continue in the same vein in the island nation.
Another keeper-batsman trying to stake a claim in the Indian team is Sanju Samson, who got quite a few chances in the Indian team in 2019-20 but failed to cash them in and then fell down the ladder in selection. He might get a chance to bat and possibly keep wickets in T20Is to show off his skills.
All-rounder Hardik Pandya would like to give confidence to the selectors that he can bowl his four overs full tilt so that he can fulfill his role properly in the playing XI. His batting doesn’t have any doubt over it, but he should be able to fulfill his role of an all-rounder in full.
Given that the series will be played in Sri Lanka, spinners will play a huge role and in T20Is, Krunal Pandya can do well, as he is decent with the ball and is no mug with the bat as well. Varun Chakravarthy might also finally get to don the India jersey after missing out on two chances.
A leg-spinner comes in handy all the time in T20Is and Rahul Chahar can fulfill that role nicely, as he did well in IPL 2021’s first half as Mumbai Indians played in Chennai and he was amongst the wickets.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Deepak Chahar might be the first pick as fast bowlers in Sri Lanka, as Bhuvneshwar has prior experience of playing in the island nation and Deepak will be keen on doing well against Sri Lanka, a team he is yet to play against. Add Hardik Pandya’s medium-pace to it and it is quite a formidable bowling unit.
COC Predicted Team India Playing XI for T20I series against Sri Lanka:
Shikhar Dhawan (C), Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (WK), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Rahul Chahar, Varun Chakravarthy
