ODI team selection: Focus on Yuvraj Singh, Basil Thampi in line for maiden India call up

Basil Thampi in line for maiden India call up | Image: www.iplt20.com
Basil Thampi in line for maiden India call up | Image: www.iplt20.com

Debasis Sen, Pallekele: Kerala medium pacer Basil Thampi can get a surprise call up for the ODI series against Sri Lanka. Mumbai Indians spinner Krunal Pandya’s name is also making rounds for a maiden call up for the ODI team which will be picked here on Sunday. There is a possibility that the selectors will rest cricketers like Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav.

Selection committee chairman MSK Prasad along with Sharandeep Singh will sit down with Virat Kohli to pick the team for ODI’s. The other selector Debang Gandhi, now in South Africa with India A team tour will be taken over a conference call.

The BCCI secretary, Amitabh Chaudhary, too, is expected to be convening the meeting. Mr Chaudhary will be in Colombo to attend the Asian Cricket Council meetingon Saturday.

Read More: Shami, Ashwin to be rested for ODI’s against Sri Lanka?

Focus will be on seniors like Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni how they perform with the selectors also contemplating giving out of favour Suresh Raina a chance in either ODI or T20 team. The left hander is now in NCA proving his fitness. He was joined by Dhoni on Friday. If the selectors look to give all the three veterans a chance, axe may fall on one or two youngsters.

With Kohli clearing the air about his willingness to play in the ODI’s and T20’s, he will continue to lead the side. The openers will include Shikhar Dhawan who has been in great touch in the test series so far. Rohit Sharma will fill the slot as the second opener along with KL Rahul. There will be a stiff competition in the middle order with quite a few names in contention. With Virat, Yuvraj, Dhoni and Kedar guaranteed a place in the side, there will be a fight for a place among Suresh Raina, Dinesh Karthik and Manish Pandey. At least two among the three will be included.

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As far as the medium pacers slot is considered both Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah are a certainty. Bhuvneshwar Kumar too will be included in the side. Kerala medium pacer Basil Thampi may be the surprise inclusion as the fourth medium pacer.

The ODI selection will also reveal a lot about how Kohli and the selectors foresee the role of spinners in the side. With experienced bowlers Ashwin and Jadeja being rested, chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav along with left arm spinner Axar Patel will handle the spin bowling department. Leg spinner Yuzuvendra Chahal is likely to fill the slot as the third spinner in the side.

Probables for the ODI team:

Openers – Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul

Middle order – Virat Kohli (C), Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Suresh Raina/Manish Pandey/Dinesh Karthik

Medium pacers – Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Basil Thampi

Spinners – Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav , Krunal Pandya