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India newcomers aim to use IPL lessons in Sri Lanka series
India vs Sri Lanka: Never before has a whole bunch been picked based on IPL performances as it has been for the Sri Lanka series, starting in Colombo on Sunday with ODIs.
Since it began in 2008, performances in the Indian Premier League have been rewarded with players getting a break in international cricket, a couple of players benefitting every season.
But never before has a whole bunch been picked based on IPL performances as it has been for the Sri Lanka series, starting in Colombo on Sunday with ODIs.
The white-ball specialists who have already played internationals, Shikhar Dhawan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, brothers Hardik and Krunal Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Chahar cousins Deepak and Rahul, and Manish Pandey were automatic picks. Among the experienced lot, they were the only players available, making it easy for the selectors. In selecting the rest, good IPL performances this season seems to have helped. It makes for a good mix, players with international experience and new talent.
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Nitish Rana, Chetan Sakariya, Varun Chakravarthy, Prithvi Shaw, Devdutt Padikkal and Ruturaj Gaikwad are all mostly IPL products, using the T20 league platform like R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja did around a decade ago, and players like Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan have done since.
Even Shikhar Dhawan has benefitted from a sterling IPL season. He became an automatic choice for captain, as one of the top batsmen this season with 380 runs in eight games, averaging 54.28 to underline consistency. Spinner K Gowtham didn’t got a game at Chennai Super Kings until IPL was suspended, but has benefitted from the spotlight turned on him in the IPL auction where he became the most expensive uncapped player ever (Rs. 9.25 crore).
Prithvi Shaw started as a Test opener, but his explosive starts this IPL have secured his spot in this team. He has dazzled for Delhi Capitals, with 308 runs in eight innings and three half-centuries. Virat Kohli is looking for top-order batsmen who can go for broke from ball one and the Mumbai batsman fits in perfectly. A good showing in Colombo will put him in contention for a regular spot.
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Playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore, left-handed Padikkal started with 400-plus runs last season. After recovering from Covid this season, he made his maiden IPL hundred. Gaikwad has come into the limelight with his elegant batting for CSK. Scoring 196 runs with two fifties, he has formed a strong opening partnership with South Africa star Faf du Plessis. CSK are second in the IPL 2021 table. The league resumes in the UAE in September.
Kolkata Knight Riders’ Chakravarthy is purely a T20 product. Sakariya made an instant impact in his debut IPL season playing for Rajasthan Royals. Both have seven wickets each from seven games, but have proved their value beyond that by bowling in pressure situations.
In the six games in Sri Lanka (3 ODIs and 3 T20s) there will be an added interest in how these players perform. It will be a test of IPL’s level as well, how well it polishes the competitive edge in players for them to be blooded straight in international cricket.
They face a home team weakened by injuries and internal turmoil caused by contract and indiscipline issues, but Sri Lanka remains a tough place to play. If wickets are prepared to suit their spin strength, then batting on sluggish wickets can be demanding in energy-sapping humidity. It makes stroke-play difficult. Players will have to adapt and their temperament will be put to test. It will be watched how the inexperienced players handle situations, whether the likes of Shaw, Padikkal and Gaikwad can curb their attacking game, if required.
“We have good players and they have experience of IPL, they are young but playing T20 for so many years, they have done well for their teams,” vice-captain Bhuvneshwar Kumar said in the build-up to the series. “Young players who have come for their first tour, who came after doing well in IPL, if they do well here (Sri Lanka), it will be great for their confidence.”
India, without stars Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, who are on duty in England, still start favourites as the Sri Lanka team lacks experience. Its first-choice batters Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Perera are unavailable owing to suspension or injury.
Vice-captain Dhananjaya de Silva has the most ODI caps with 50. In comparison, Dhawan has played 142 ODIs. Dasun Shanaka on Friday became the 10th Sri Lanka captain in the last four years.
The new skipper said: “Both teams will start evenly because they (India) have got new players coming up. We all know that they have played IPL but still haven’t played international cricket.”
Sri Lanka have lost the three ODI series they have played this year, 0-3 to West Indies, 1-2 to Bangladesh and 0-2 to England.
In the last 10 ODI matches between the two teams, going back to 2017, India have won eight. In their last ODI series played at home against India, Sri Lanka were routed 5-0. In T20Is, Sri Lanka have one win to show in the last 10 matches between the two teams.
