DT
PT
Subscribe To Print Edition About The Tribune Code Of Ethics Download App Advertise with us Classifieds
search-icon-img
search-icon-img
Advertisement

India-Sri Lanka Cricket series: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma in focus on return

Colombo, August 1 The Gautam Gambhir-led Indian team management has an opportunity to decide who among KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant will be India’s long-term first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in ODIs when the side takes on Sri Lanka in a three-match series...
  • fb
  • twitter
  • whatsapp
  • whatsapp
featured-img featured-img
Virat Kohli with Gautam Gambhir during practice. PTI
Advertisement

Colombo, August 1
The Gautam Gambhir-led Indian team management has an opportunity to decide who among KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant will be India’s long-term first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in ODIs when the side takes on Sri Lanka in a three-match series beginning here tomorrow.

Rohit Sharma bats at nets on the eve of India’s first ODI against Sri Lanka. PTI

There will be clamour around the first sighting of veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as well, after the recent T20 World Cup triumph. But the think tank will look to shut out that outside noise, focusing on sorting out the combination in a season that has some marquee ODI events including the Champions Trophy.
In that context, the Rahul vs Pant conundrum is certain to get priority treatment in this series. Rahul is the incumbent wicketkeeper-batter and has been assigned to that role by the previous set-up under Rahul Dravid since last year’s Asia Cup, a tournament in which he made his comeback from a long injury-forced layoff.
Since then, Rahul has done full justice to his duty both in front of and behind the wicket.
Since the continental showpiece last year, Rahul has made 834 runs from 21 matches at a fine average of 69.50, with two hundreds. Besides, Rahul also captained India in the ODI series against South Africa earlier this year. As a stumper too, the 32-year-old has been pretty good.
But will Gambhir follow the same route since Pant is back in the reckoning?
Pant’s return to India fold through a clutch of T20Is after that horrific accident in 2022 has been heartwarming but he has not set the field ablaze with his outings.
There have been encouraging sparks during the last month or so. But is that enough to convince the powers that be to pick him ahead of Rahul? — PTI

1st OdI: India vs Sri Lanka
Sony Sports 2:30pm

Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
tlbr_img1 Home tlbr_img2 Opinion tlbr_img3 Classifieds tlbr_img4 Videos tlbr_img5 E-Paper