‘Rohit, Kohli, Jadeja big loss for Indian cricket. Sri Lanka will aim to take advantage: Coach Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Jayasurya said Sri Lanka would aim to exploit the gaps created in the Indian XI due to Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja's absence.
Former Sri Lanka captain and the current interim coach of the side, Sanath Jayasuriya, said India will feel the absence of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja in the upcoming T20I series against them. Rohit, Kohli, and Jadeja decided to draw curtains on their T20I careers after helping India win the T20 World Cup in the Americas, which was their first world title in 11 years. That's not all. Head coach Rahul Dravid's tenure ended with the World Cup, as did batting coach Vikram Rathour and bowling coach Paras Mhambrey.
The three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka will kickstart a new chapter in Indian cricket under new head coach Gautam Gambhir. The former India opener was instrumental in selecting Suryakumar Yadav as the new T20I captain ahead of vice-captain Hardik Pandya. Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar said they wanted a captain whose fitness was not a concern, and hence, they went with Surya over Hardik, who has often battled injuries.
Ahead of Saturday's first match of the series in Pallekele, Jayasurya said Sri Lanka would aim to exploit the gaps created in the Indian XI due to Rohit, Kohli, and Jadeja's absence.
“Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are the best players in the world. Looking at their talent and the kind of cricket they have played we all know where they belong, along with Jadeja,” Jayasuriya said. "Their absence will be a loss to the Indian team and we have to take maximum advantage out of that.”
Rohit and Kohli are the top two run-getters in T20Is, while Jadeja retired as one of the format's top all-rounders. Together, the three have starred in many memorable T20I wins for India over the last 15 years or so.
But Indian cricket has no dearth of talent. Rohit and Kohli will be replaced by Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top. Gill has been elavated as the vice-captain of both ODIs and T20Is as the selectors believe he is an all-format cricketer.
Rohit and Kohli will return for the three-match ODI series that follows the T20I series.
Sri Lanka have a new captain in Charith Asalanka
Jayasuriya took over as interim coach after Chris Silverwood quit after Sri Lanka's first-round exit from the T20 World Cup.
Wanindu Hasaranga, who led Sri Lanka in the tournament, has been replaced as captain by Charith Asalanka.
Sri Lanka has called up Kusal Perera and Avishka Fernando, who were not part of the World Cup side, while also including uncapped allrounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe, who performed well in the Lanka Premier League tournament.
Sri Lanka's chief selector Upul Tharanga said fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera, originally named in the 16-member squad, has been ruled out of both the Twenty20 and the one-day international series against India because of an injury and his replacement will be named soon.
