Team India threw some selection surprises in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Guwahati on Tuesday, January 10. Expectedly Ishan Kishan was left out of the side but as skipper Rohit Sharma read out the whole playing XI, there were a couple of more surprises waiting for the viewers and listeners regarding selection in the series opener.
Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer formed the top and middle order and with no Kishan, KL Rahul had to play, which meant there was no space for Suryakumar Yadav in the side. Surya has been the best white-ball batter for India for a while and was coming off a century in the T20I series decider against Sri Lanka. However, since his exploits have all been in T20Is, coupled with Shreyas Iyer becoming undroppable owing to his sensational form in the 50-over format, Surya was left out of the side.
The decision led to a huge uproar amongst the fans on social media and not just them, even cricketers and experts too didn’t like the selection calls as they were shocked not seeing Surya in the line-up. Former India batter Mohammad Kaif too wasn’t happy with the selection calls as the double centurion in the last ODI, Ishan Kishan and the centurion in the last T20I both were left out.
Apart from the big change in the batting department, the team also left out Washington Sundar, who did well both with bat and ball in the ODIs against New Zealand as Axar Patel, after his exploits in the T20I was preferred over the right-arm off-spinning all-rounder.
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka had won the toss and chosen to bowl first before skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill stitched a 143-run stand for the first wicket. Shanaka provided his side with the breakthrough dismissing Gill.
Team India playing XI: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Umran Malik, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal
