5 players to watch out for in the India-Sri Lanka ODI series

#3 KL Rahul

The right-hander has well and truly established himself in the Test side for India but he certainly has the required skills to be successful in ODI cricket as well. Rahul had a hugely successful tour to Zimbabwe and looked as if he belongs to the stage. In a very short career, he is already one of the only 3 Indian players to have scored centuries in all 3 formats.

The opening combination of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma has been hugely successful in ODIs and hence, Rahul would find it difficult to find a spot there. The Chairman of selectors, MSK Prasad had hinted that Rahul would bat at number 4. Having an IPL experience of batting in the middle-order, the 25-year-old could be the ideal replacement for Yuvraj Singh.

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Where the whites were completely dominated by India, the situation doesn't seem to be too different in colored clothing either. The hosts were absolutely decimated in the Test series where they suffered a 3-0 whitewash. As the game moves towards the shorter format, Sri Lanka would seek inspiration from the last meeting of the 2 teams where they emerged victorious in the Champions Trophy game. The contest between the No. 3 ranked side and the No. 8 doesn't promise a thrilling contest yet the two sides possess a talented bunch of youngsters who would be looking to make a mark in the series. While the focus always remains on the experienced lot like Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Angelo Mathews and Lasith Malinga, it's the younger unit that will be under the scanner.

Let's take a look at the 5 players to watch out for in the ODI series

#1 Yuzvendra Chahal

There has been an increased demand for wrist spinners in the 50-over format over the past couple of years. Imran Tahir of South Africa has redefined the way the spinners bowl in the middle overs and a few other countries have followed the trend of keeping wrist spinners in the playing XI. In the absence of regular spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, Chahal would fancy his chances. The last time the leg-spinner played for India, he bagged the best figures by an Indian in the T20I format earlier this year against England. The 27-year-old is a street-smart bowler and the variations in the spin department make him an ideal pick in the ODI format as well. A few good outings can help him earn a permanent place in the squad.

#2 Niroshan Dickwella

The left-hander has been the most impressive player for Sri Lanka in the recent past. Dickwella, with his attacking instincts, made a mark in the recently concluded Test series against India. He was one of the very few bright spots for his side in a rather grim series among all the players. In the last ODI series against Zimbabwe, he had scored 266 runs in 5 matches that included 2 centuries as well. Opening the batting, he can put the Indian bowlers under pressure from the outset with some explosive shots that could well set the tone.

#3 KL Rahul

The right-hander has well and truly established himself in the Test side for India but he certainly has the required skills to be successful in ODI cricket as well. Rahul had a hugely successful tour to Zimbabwe and looked as if he belongs to the stage. In a very short career, he is already one of the only 3 Indian players to have scored centuries in all 3 formats. The opening combination of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma has been hugely successful in ODIs and hence, Rahul would find it difficult to find a spot there. The Chairman of selectors, MSK Prasad had hinted that Rahul would bat at number 4. Having an IPL experience of batting in the middle-order, the 25-year-old could be the ideal replacement for Yuvraj Singh.

#4 Lakshan Sandakan

The Chinaman bowler was included in the final Test against India and he turned up with the best spell bowled by any Sri Lankan spinner in the entire series. Sandakan bagged a five-fer and was the only bowler who looked like troubling the Indian batsmen. He also picked up the prized scalps of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli that would have boosted his confidence. Sri Lanka may look to produce tracks that would offer turn for the spinners and Sandakan would come in handy against the strong Indian batting line-up.

#5 Kuldeep Yadav

The latest sensation in Indian cricket - Kuldeep Yadav has impressed one and all with his unique style of bowling. He took 5 wickets in the last Test against Sri Lanka and his contributions were invaluable. The Chinamen mixed with the googlies, make him a difficult bowler to score runs against. In the last ODI series against Windies, he was the leading wicket-taker and was the go-to bowler for skipper Virat Kohli. He bagged 8 wickets in 5 matches and the best part of his bowling was the economy rate of just 4.05. Not just for this series, he is the one to watch out for in the future as well.