IND vs SL T20I: Hardik's problem of permutation & combination in playing XI

In a year where ODIs are going to be crucial, the focus is not on the T20s, therefore Hardik and the Indian management could get to do what they want to do

The Indian team is now under a different skipper Hardik Pandya and it seems he would be the one leading the side permanently in T20Is after Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul have been sidelined by the selection committee. Though Virat Kohli was India’s biggest player in the recently concluded World Cup, Rohit and Rahul failed big time. 

In a year where ODIs are going to be crucial, the focus is not on the T20s and therefore, Hardik and the Indian management could get to do what they want to do. Giving chances to a permanent opening pair and continuing playing with the likes of Deepak Hooda, Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad in the middle is really important. 

With Rishabh Pant out of the scene for at least 5-6 months following his accident, India would anyway have to look for his replacement in both the Test and the ODI side and thus KL Rahul would have to up his game as a wicket-keeper if really wants to keep his place in the side. 

In ODIs, it will have to be one among Sanju, Rahul or Ishan who would fit into the playing 11. Thus, this series will also give three matches each to Ishan and Sanju to make their way into the 50-over side. Though for this series, Ishan has already made the cut, Sanju can still impress over and mix into the side. 

Deepak Hooda will also have a similar chance to make sure that he gets noticed for the ODIs too. Currently, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are favoured more than him in the longer format. Though Hooda is not as adept as two other spinners to roll his arm for 2-3 overs in T20Is and to add to that his batting skills in the top four and his electric fielding, he more than makes the case for himself in the T20I side. 

Among the bowlers, India have chosen Shivam Mavi, Mukesh Kumar, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh. There is no Kuldeep Yadav and thus it is clear that India will go in with only a spinner and who so ever among Washington, Axar and Deepak gets the chance, will have to play as the second spinner with Hardik bowling a sizeable number of overs as well. 

Now, Arshdeep and Harshal are permanent figures owing to their IPL success. Shivam and Mukesh are procduts of the domestic series Syed Mushtaq Ali. Umran has been kept out of the playing eleven most of the tours in 2022. Hence it seems like Arshdeep, Umran and Harshal will be the three pacers with Yuzvendra Chahal the specialist spinner and Hardik and Hooda sharing the duties of the fifth bowler. 

The four batters would be Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan, Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson. Due to the absence of Rahul and Pant, it gives the management an opportunity to either play an extra batter in Rahul Tripathi or an extra bowler in either Washington or Axar.