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The series is on the line India as they gear up to face Sri Lanka in the third and final ODI at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Wednesday, August 7. The Men in Blue currently trail 1-0 and need a draw to pull level in the rubber.
Playing an ODI series with Gautam Gambhir at the helm for the first time, India have been hugely unconvincing. Both the batting and the bowling departments haven't been at their best, and the Sri Lankans have capitalized on that.
Heading into the final game of the assignment, India are likely to ponder a few changes. A couple of ODI caps could be handed out, while a comeback might be on the cards as well.
On that note, here are three changes India should make for the third ODI against Sri Lanka.
#3 Harshit Rana for Mohammed Siraj
Mohammed Siraj has been far from his best in the ODI series so far. He has picked up just two wickets despite beating the bat plenty of times with the new ball and has leaked runs at a higher rate than the other Indian bowlers.
Siraj usually loves playing against Sri Lanka, but he hasn't been able to deliver. With the series on the line, India would do well to try out one of their most exciting fast-bowling talents in the form of Harshit Rana.
Rana has an excellent off-cutter that could be useful on turning tracks and has all the skills needed to be successful at the international level. He can even bat a bit and is a long-term prospect who needs to be given enough game time in the lead-up to the 2027 Champions Trophy.
#2 Khaleel Ahmed for Arshdeep Singh
Another Indian pacer who has been unimpressive thus far in the series, Arshdeep Singh hasn't been able to produce breakthroughs with the new ball. His lines and lengths at the death have been rather poor as well.
Arshdeep has played a fair amount of cricket in the series, with two matches in each format. Khaleel Ahmed could replace him to give the Men in Blue an edge in the powerplay. Testing the experienced left-arm spinner, who last played an ODI in 2019, will also be on the agenda.
#1 Riyan Parag for Shivam Dube
Shivam Dube has been tried out as a replacement for Hardik Pandya, but it hasn't worked. It's a move that's unlikely to pay off either, with the fast-bowling all-rounder's skillset being a far cry from that of his senior teammate.
Dube isn't reliable with both bat and ball in ODIs. India need to look at other options to step in for Hardik and given that they are unable to find someone soon, they may as well try to maximize their chances of winning the series.
The visitors need more overs of spin, and bringing in Riyan Parag could seriously improve their chances. The youngster is also a terrific batter and has a future with the 50-over side. That, however, cannot be said of Dube.
