Reports: Head coach Gautam Gambhir requests seniors to play the ODI series against Sri Lanka

Gautam Gambhir was recently appointed as the head coach of the senior men’s team by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Ever since his appointment, a lot of speculations have surfaced in the media, and recently, another report has emerged wherein the head coach has supposedly asked the star batting duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and frontline pacer Jasprit Bumrah to take part in the ODI series for the upcoming tour to Sri Lanka.

India is scheduled to play three 50-over matches against the Lankan Lions during the tour, starting August 02 for the first match. The remaining two matches will be played on August 04 and 07, respectively, and all the fixtures for the ODI leg are scheduled at Colombo’s R. Premdasa Stadium.

According to News18 CricketNext, Gambhir’s request comes from a point that the Indian team will be taking a long break after the tour to the island nation before the home series against Bangladesh begins in September.

The squad for the Sri Lankan tour is expected to be announced shortly, and if the reports are to be believed, Rohit Sharma might be seen leading the Men in Blue for the first time after his title-lifting T20 World Cup 2024, quashing earlier reports where KL Rahul was supposed to captain.

Speaking of captaincy, the T20I leg will see Hardik Pandya lead the side, while Suryakumar Yadav is likely to be his deputy. The report has also suggested that Pandya has informed the BCCI regarding his unavailability for the 50-over series due to personal reasons, given that he will be playing the three T20Is.

Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson is set to be announced as the designated stumper for the tour, with the selectors not keen to pick Rishabh Pant, readying him for the Bangladesh series and upcoming hectic calendar. Nonetheless, the squad is to be picked shortly, putting an end to speculations.