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India have announced their squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka. Rohit Sharma, who led the Men in Blue to the final of the 2023 World Cup, will be at the helm once again.
India have named two fresh faces in the squad, with Riyan Parag and Harshit Rana being given the opportunity to make their ODI debuts. At the same time, there is a good blend of experience, with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya being rested.
ODI squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Ꮪhubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.
Some, however, perhaps didn't merit being part of the contingent. On that note, here are three players who were lucky to be picked in India's squad for the Sri Lanka ODI series.
#3 Khaleel Ahmed
India have managed to achieve a fair amount of ODI success without having a left-arm seamer in their ranks, and they're trying their best to find one. Alongside Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed has been named in the squad for the Sri Lanka ODIs.
Khaleel last played a 50-over game for India in August 2019 and has been plagued with a plethora of fitness issues since then. While he has impressed in patches, he had a disappointing T20I tour of Zimbabwe and might not have enough all-phase tools in his locker as of now.
Khaleel has the potential to become a world-class bowler, but there are simply too many question marks around his game right now.
#2 Washington Sundar
Washington Sundar starred in Zimbabwe as he was named the Player of the Series in the five-match rubber. And while it isn't a surprise that he has been named in the ODI squad, was he deserving of a spot?
In 19 ODIs, over nearly seven years, Sundar has picked up only 18 wickets. His batting strike rate is a disappointing 85.2, reflective of where his power game stands right now. The 24-year-old is a hugely talented all-rounder, but he hasn't developed in the way India would've liked him to lately.
As a restrictive spinner who isn't known for producing breakthroughs and a lower-order batter who can't muscle the ball, Sundar might struggle to adapt to the demands of modern ODI cricket.
#1 Shivam Dube
Again, this seems to be a decision made out of desperation more than anything else. Hardik Pandya needs a backup, and with Nitish Kumar Reddy reportedly injured, Shivam Dube has been picked for the Sri Lanka ODIs.
Dube still has clear holes in his game against pace, and his ability to play longer innings hasn't been proven at a high level yet. His bowling doesn't add a great deal of value either, particularly against quality teams. There's also the question of where to fit the left-handed batter, with the top six slots having plenty of contenders.
