IND vs SL: Gautam Gambhir’s first assignment with the India side will be on the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. After India’s victory in the T20 World Cup, veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from the shortest format of international T20s.
This would be the bigger concern for Gambhir as he looks to replace the two veterans in the format. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma might be replaced ideally by Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has shown quite the intent as was possessed by the veteran batter.
Other than the two players, several of the stars who starred in the t20 World Cup, including Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, and Suryakumar Yadav, might look to make a comeback in the T20I series against Sri Lanka. Gambhir might give chances to some players who have recently been inspiring in their outings on the Zimbabwe tour.
Top 5 new Players who can retain their place in India squad for Sri Lanka T20Is
Abhishek Sharma
The left-handed batter has been a star in the format after an ace performance in the IPL; now he has been a star for the Men in Blue. Recently, Abhishek has entered the record books by scoring a ton and taking a wicket in the same series.
Gambhir will look to have a player of his caliber in the team, as there remains a bright prospect in the player. After an impressive opening to his career on the Zimbabwe tour, he will be seen among the favorites to be picked by the India side for the tour of the Lankan islands.
Riyan Parag
The IPL star, who has risen to excellence after facing severe criticism, made a standout performance to find his place in the Indian side. However, he was not among the scorers, as he never got to bat except for the match where Gill’s XI faced a humiliating loss to the underdogs.
Though Parag didn’t see much coming, Gambhir would look to hand him another chance in the upcoming series and probably hand him some more game time.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Gaikwad is probably India’s next most subtle player, as he can be the best prospect at No. 3, who can fill in the big shoes of Virat Kohli. Though not easy yet, the CSK star is the probable option for even Gambhir to replace the veteran, as there are some chances that Gambhir might not land in Gill very regularly in T20s. The rising superstar has often been criticized for his lack of intent, which is a primary need of the format, rather than averaging over 50 on all occasions.
Avesh Khan
The pacer from the Royals side was one of the finest implementors with the old ball in the death overs. Khan replaced veteran bowler Bumrah’s role in the side, and with him being rested for the upcoming series, Khan might find a place in Gambhir’s squad not only in the shortest format but also in the ODI format.
Khan can be an ideal wicket-taking option with both the new and the old ball, and if he continues to do well under the new coach, he can be India’s ideal solution to their third pacer requirement.
Khaleel Ahmed
Khaleel has now been an experienced campaigner, as he has played several seasons in the IPL. Though the left-armer made a start to his international career long back under Kohli, he was brought back into the side as India is in the hunt for a third optional pacer, and it will be great if he is a left-handed pacer.
Ahmed can also be a part of Gambhir’s 15-man squad, as India lacks the natural abilities of a left-handed pacer. Alongside Arshdeep, he can be another star in the format and might find himself progressing under Gambhir.
ALSO READ: IND vs SL: The BCCI has announced a revised schedule for India’s tour of Sri Lanka
