IND vs SL: 5 Major takeaways from India's squads

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Tuesday, December 27, announced Team India’s squads for the upcoming T20I and ODI home series against Sri Lanka. The two teams are set to play three T20Is and as many ODIs across six venues in India, with the first match scheduled on January 3, 2023, at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. 

There were quite a few changes made to the Indian squad, especially the T20I squad which comprises more young faces. Shivam Mavi and Mukesh Kumar, who earned big bucks at the recently concluded IPL Auction 2023, have earned their respective T20I call-ups. Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan has been named in both squads, with Rishabh Pant sidelined for the series.

While the senior players have been rested for the T20I series, they will return for the ODIs which follow later. Hardik Pandya will be donning the captaincy hat for the T20Is, and regular skipper Rohit Sharma will be back for the ODIs. As the Men in Blue gear up for their first international series of 2023, let us look at-

Five major takeaways from India’s squads against Sri Lanka

1.  Senior players focused on ODIs with the World Cup approaching

India’s senior players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul have been rested for the T20Is, and will only be participating in the three ODIs. With the ODI World Cup 2023 approaching and India being the host of the marquee event, it gives an impression that the seniors are currently focused on preparing themselves for the 50-over games. 

Of the 40 T20Is that India played this year, Rohit Sharma missed 11 of them, while Kohli missed 20. With Rohit Sharma missing out on the T20Is again, Hardik Pandya has been called up to lead the side, and the regular skipper will be back in the captaincy role for the ODIs.

Mohammed Shami, another senior player in the Indian setup, will return to the Indian side for the ODI series. He suffered an injury before the Bangladesh tour and was sent for rehabilitation. The Indian side hasn’t won an ICC title since the 2013 Champions Trophy, and thus the Men in Blue will be giving their best hereon to prepare for the 2023 World Cup.