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Team India began the year 2023 with an astounding victory in the T20Is against Sri Lanka at home. And now the focus shifts to the ODIs as the Men in Blue prepares for the World Cup 2023, scheduled to take place later this year. The 3-match series will provide the think tank with an idea about how the squad will line up for the showpiece event. At the same time, the focus will be on the big guns, especially skipper Rohit Sharma who is coming back from a finger injury.
The Indian captain dislocated his finger last month in the second ODI against Bangladesh in Mirpur. The injury ruled him out of the final ODI in Chattogram and the following 2-match Test series. At the same time, his form will also be a major concern for the team management. In 2022, Rohit scored 249 runs in 8 ODIs and 656 runs in 29 T20Is, including 3 fifties in each format.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes that Rohit’s return to form is very crucial at this point in time. Speaking exclusively with Star Sports Network, Irfan said making a comeback from injury is never easy for a player, adding that fitness will be a major challenge for the Indian captain.
“Coming back from injury is never easy, and the biggest challenge would be for Rohit Sharma to come back into form. Which is important for a leader. Look, Rohit Sharma as a white ball cricketer for India has played tremendously well over the years and he has to continue this form and make his legacy even better. Fitness will be a challenge along with his return to form, but I have full confidence that he will be able to overcome these challenges fully,” Irfan said on Star Sports.
Irfan further spoke on who the openers should be for Team India in ODIs. He said “I really think right now you should keep at least three openers in place, and for me Rohit and Ishan comes first and then obviously Shubman Gill. Shubman Gill is definitely a class act, the two T20 matches did not go well but he has the ability in him and he has performed well at one day cricket. So, it’s important to have him at number three, but I will start with Rohit and Ishan Kishan because Ishan Kishan has played some good cricket recently scoring a lot of runs.”
India will take on Sri Lanka in the first ODI on Tuesday in Guwahati.
(Catch all the action of the 1st ODI of the India-Sri Lanka series, 10th January, 1.30 PM onwards, LIVE & Exclusive on the Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar)
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