After the World Test Championship Final, all the eyes will be on India’s tour of Sri Lanka. Even though the main players are missing out on the tour it would be a great opportunity for the youngsters to show their talent at the international level. Most of the players who have been picked have been consistent performers in the IPL and need to do the same against Sri Lanka. India would get to see fresh opening combinations in this series.
Shikhar Dhawan who isn’t part of the Test squad which has travelled to England and will captain the Indian side against Sri Lanka. The squad has many openers, and it would be interesting to see the opening combinations for India throughout the ODI series. Even though it is only a three-match ODI series, India could try a few opening combinations. So, let us have a look at the four opening combinations India could try for the ODI series.
4. Shikhar Dhawan – Ishan Kishan
Shikhar Dhawan and Ishan Kishan could be one of India’s opening combinations in the three-match ODI series. Ishan Kishan will compete with Sanju Samson to take up the wicket-keeper’s spot but with Kishan already featuring the in England T20I series, he might get a nod ahead of Samson.
Both these southpaws are aggressive by nature and can take on the bowlers from the word go. Ishan Kishan might not be opening in the IPL but he is a natural opener. He opened in the U19 World Cup in 2016 and he has been opening for Jharkhand in the domestic circuit. These two could form a good opening combination for India.
3. Shikhar Dhawan – Ruturaj Gaikwad
Another good option is the right-handed young batsman from Maharashtra Ruturaj Gaikwad. Gaikwad has been brilliant for India A in the last 2 years or so. He made his IPL debut in 2020 for the Chennai Super Kings and he has performed really well for them.
In his debut season, he scored 3 consecutive fifties, and even in this year’s IPL, he was looking in great touch before the tournament was postponed. Dhawan and Gaikwad will form a right-left combination which is always helpful. If India decides to go with this combination, Gaikwad will make his ODI debut.
2. Shikhar Dhawan – Devdutt Padikkal
Another player who could make his debut in the ODI series is the southpaw from Karnataka – Devdutt Padikkal. Padikkal has been in sensational form in the last 2 years and he has scored runs across formats in the domestic circuit. In this year’s Vijay Hazare Trophy, he was the second-highest run-scorer, and even in the IPL, he scored a magnificent century.
Padikkal hasn’t represented India in any format and this might be the right opportunity for the youngster. It would be interesting to see if India goes with this opening combination in the ODI series.
1. Shikhar Dhawan – Prithvi Shaw
Out of all the opening combinations for India, this could be the best opening combination to start with. Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw have opened together in the IPL for the Delhi Capitals and have done it successfully. They were the most successful opening pair in IPL 2021 before it got postponed.
Prithvi Shaw who was going through a lean patch in Australia, turned it around in six months as he became the highest run-scorer in the Vijay Hazare Trophy by a fair margin. He was brilliant in this IPL as he was striking over 160. He could be the ideal partner for Shikhar Dhawan for the ODI series.
