Sports Desk, AnyTV, New Delhi
Published by: Rohit Raj
Updated Wed, 02 Mar 2022 11:09 PM IST
Summary
The two-Test series between India and Sri Lanka will begin in Mohali on Friday (March 4). In the absence of experienced players like Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, now young players can be seen in the Indian middle order.
Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer
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Expansion
The two-Test series between India and Sri Lanka will begin in Mohali on Friday (March 4). After this, a day-night match will be played between the two teams in Bengaluru from March 12. In the absence of experienced players like Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, now young players can be seen in the Indian middle order. Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari and Shubman Gill are set to replace both these players. The biggest question in front of the new captain Rohit Sharma is who will he include in the playing-11.
Rohit Sharma will begin his Test captaincy with a change in the middle order. Pujara and Rahane were dropped due to poor form. It is now clear that Rahane and Pujara will not be called for three Tests (two against Sri Lanka and one against England) this season. Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer will be his substitutes.
Selection committee chairman Chetan Sharma had said that Shubman Gill is being considered for the middle order and he will be in the plans. Shubman can play in place of Pujara at the third order. Virat Kohli will land at the fourth order. There is a competition between Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari for number five.
Shreyas Iyer is in excellent form
Iyer, who scored a century in Test debut, is in excellent form these days. He scored three consecutive half-centuries in the T20 series. He may be preferred over Hanuma. He has scored four half-centuries in the last five international innings. Hanuma is also in form. He has scored a century and a half-century in the Ranji Trophy. Earlier, he played a belligerent innings in the Johannesburg Test against South Africa. Hanuma has not played a single test match on Indian soil so far. Now it remains to be seen whether his luck opens or not.
Why Shubman Gill is the better choice for the third order?
Shubman Gill has opened for India so far. They are ready to face the new balls. In such a situation, he can take the place of Pujara. If the opener batsman gets out early, then Shubman Gill may have to face new balls. In the series against New Zealand, Shubman had scored three 40-plus runs in four innings. He scored 51, 1, 44 and 47 runs respectively.
India’s Probable Playing XI for the 1st Test:
Rohit Sharma (captain), Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer/Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Mohammad Siraj.
Sri Lanka’s Probable Playing XI:
Dimuth Karunaratne (Captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Pathum Nisanka, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjay de Silva (Vice-Captain), Dinesh Chandimal (WK), Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chamira, Charit Aslanka.
India’s Test squad for the series: Rohit Sharma (capt), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Saurabh Kumar , Mohammad Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain).