With eyes on the 2023 ODI World Cup at home, team India will begin its preparation for the same as they will take on Sri Lanka in a three-match ODI series, the first of which will take place at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday.
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Having recovered from his thumb injury during the ODI series against Bangladesh last month, India’s all-format skipper Rohit Sharma will be back leading the team, which will also mark the inclusion of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul as well – both of who had been rested for the concluded T20I series.
The biggest news however, is the return back of pacer Jasprit Bumrah in the squad, having been out of cricketing action since September last year. The 29-year-old last played an ODI against England at Lord’s in July 2022.
The likes of in-form Shreyas Iyer, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammad Siraj, and Mohammed Shami are the other additions to the ODI squad who did not feature during the three T20Is.
Barsapara Stadium pitch report
The Barsapara Cricket Stadium is set to host only its second ODI on Tuesday, with the lone one in the past taking place back in October 2018, when India took on the West Indies.
The high-scoring contest witnessed India nailing the run-chase with an 8-wicket victory, en route the target of 323 runs. Virat Kohli was adjudged the ‘Player of the Match’ for his knock of 140 (107).
The pitch at this venue is yet again expected to be a belter for the batters, with yet another high-scoring contest up for grabs. The surface has a tendency to slow down a tad as the game progresses, but the batters are the ones likely to have maximum fun out in the middle.
Most recently, during the last international match here in October 2022, India and South Africa collectively smashed over 400 runs in the T20 contest, with the Proteas losing the match despite a stellar century off the bat of David Miller.
