India vs Sri Lanka Test Series 2017 will kick-off the No.1 Test team’s more-than-a-month-long tour to the Island country after a dominating series in the Caribbean. However, Virat Kohli & Co. will be looking forwards to get their combinations straight to test the mettle before the ICC World Cup 2019.
Be it the bowling department, the blade bearers or the fielding potentials, the Indian squad has been highly criticized for the lack of consistency as well as the approach and the India vs Sri Lanka Test Series 2017 will be their first rubber in which they will have to justify their No.1 tag.
With a new head coach, Ravi Shastri, team India will officially start their Sri Lankan campaign on 21st July with a warm up game and these are the five Indian players who need to perform for survival during the whole India vs Sri Lanka Test Series 2017.
Also Read: India’s Tour Of Sri Lanka 2017
1. Virat Kohli
Since wearing the full-time skipper’s cap, Virat Kohli has struggled with consistency let alone inspiring the boys to do so, on the other hand, the skipper was on fire during the home season and scored all of his double tons last year. While his limited-overs form has been criticized, Test cricket is where he has completely dominated the turf. Virat Kohli will be looking forward to carrying on the momentum in order to mentally strong for the next-in-line limited overs cricket.
His captaincy, on the other hand, has matured over the time and it now remains to see how team India performs overseas in bilateral series with Kohli leading from the front.
2. Cheteshwar Pujara
Cheteshwar Pujara, the modern wall, made a name for himself during the home season. His fine footwork going deep in the crease and surprising the bowling attack by going down the wicket has made him one of the best Asian players in the format, however, with the presence of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in the squad, he might struggle to made his own mark in the India vs Srilanka Test Series 2017. But if he does, the pressure will be on Rohit Sharma, who is making a comeback after a long time.
3. Ravichandran Ashwin
It’s been a long time since we have seen Ravi Ashwin creating trouble for the batsmen and have been treated as a stock bowler rather than a wicket taking one. However, he also had a glorious home season and with Sri Lankan pitches offering similar conditions, he would want to get some wickets under his belt and give his fans a reason to forget his Champions Trophy failures.
4. Ravindra Jadeja
Jadeja was once the only all-rounder that Indian team had but with the emergence of Hardik Pandya, his spot in the Indian squad has come under the scanner of scrutiny. Moreover, the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 goof up is something he really needs to overcome and the only way of doing so is by performing. Jadeja has the capability of finding his spots on the pitch and maintain a perfect line and length, however, lately, he too has been used as a stock bowler which has restricted his wicket-taking capabilities.
With the bat, the confidence of finishing a game has also gone missing and Jadeja has rarely managed to strike from the center of his bat. Yes, the pressure of newcomers is mounting, but failing to perform is going to make it worse, as Kuldeep Yadav has started showing the signs of being capable of replacing either Ashwin or Jadeja.
5. Umesh Yadav
Umesh Yadav is the only player on this list who has performed but struggled to strengthen his position in the squad. With Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma making a comeback in the squad, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar performing at his best with consistent swing even with the old ball, Umesh Yadav will have to prove his mettle whenever he gets a chance in the playing eleven during the India vs Sri Lanka Test Series 2017.
Considering the names that has been included in the 16-man Indian squad, it is safe to assume that Virat Kohli and company wants to explore the best possible combinations for all the three formats and while they will enter the India vs Sri Lanka Test Series 2017, wanting to secure their No.1 position, it’s the limited-overs games where the result will a direct impact.
Keeping in mind the slow and turning nature of Sri Lankan pitches, we expect Virat Kohli to opt for a three-man strong spin attack consisting of Kuldeep Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja while the middle order is expected to sharpen their blades for the future.
On the other hand, it’s the upper batting order and the pace bowling where things are going to get a little messy due to the available options.