IND v SL 2021: Why India's squad is not a second-string side

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently named a second-string 20-member squad for India's upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, comprising three ODIs and three T20Is. The squad includes India’s best of the next generation, with the likes of IPL stars Devdutt Padikkal and Ruturaj Gaikwad making their debuts.

The tour will mark the first instance of two senior Indian men's teams playing a bilateral series simultaneously. While the Virat Kohli-led main-member team is currently in England, Rahul Dravid has been drafted in as coach for the Sri Lanka-bound side, which will be led by Shikhar Dhawan.

Abundance of talent in the 'second-string' Indian side

Interestingly, fourteen of the squad are capped players, including Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who have been India’s premium bowlers across formats for years. Even Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan, who have been vital members of five-time IPL winners Mumbai Indians, made their long-awaited debuts for the Indian side earlier this year in the home series against England.

Clearly, it isn't a second-string side by any stretch of the imagination.

India’s cricketing bench strength is one that cannot be matched by any other team, purely due to the nation's gigantic population that loves the sport dearly. The volume of youngsters pursuing the sport has never been higher.

With a domestic set-up like no other, cricket has turned into a serious career option amongst youngsters all over the country. Hence, the selection committee’s job is one of extreme difficulty, having to scout the best of the best amongst thousands who can play the game well.

Five of the uncapped players in the Indian side for the Sri Lanka tour have made a stellar impression in the IPL the last couple of seasons that resulted in national call-ups.

Devdutt Padikkal is one such debutant. The 21-year-old batsman was the first Indian to hit four consecutive A-list centuries, while opening for Karnataka in the Vijay Hazare tournament this year.

His orthodox stroke-play is easy on the eye, making Padikkal an extremely dependable opener. Padikkal also won the Emerging Player of the Year award in the 2020 edition of the IPL, scoring 473 runs with a strike rate of 124.82 in the 15 games that he played.

Another debutant, Ruturaj Gaikwad, also owns a decent average of 47.87 in A-list cricket, 1638 IPL runs and five fifties in the 13 IPL matches he’s been a part of. Nitish Rana, who has been an integral part of Kolkata Knight Riders, has 13 fifties in the IPL, with three tons in A-list cricket for Delhi. He will be keen to make a mark on national debut.

Prithvi Shaw looking to make an impression

Prithvi Shaw will be a huge asset to the SL-bound squad. Not only will the SL tour be of great benefit to him, in terms of showcasing his improved technique, but mentally as well.

Shaw was rushed into the senior side at a mere age of 18, and was put to the test in overseas conditions against a world-class Australian bowling line-up earlier this year. He failed to perform, and was sent back into the domestic circuit to rectify his flawed technique.

Shaw is an undeniable talent and this series will be the perfect opportunity for him to sharpen his skills further under the tutelage of coach Rahul Dravid.

Clearly, this Indian side is one that faces no shortage of talent, potential or character. Debutant Chetan Sakariya is a prime example. The left-arm fast bowler plays for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, and has picked up seven wickets in seven IPL matches, including those of MS Dhoni, Ambati Rayudu and Suresh Raina. Getting a national call-up would have been a bittersweet moment for the Saurashtra bowler, who lost his father to COVID-19 shortly after the suspension of the current IPL season in early May.

It will be interesting to see what combinations Dhawan and Dravid plan to use in this series, as all the members are deserving of their call-ups and have displayed on numerous occasions that they are indeed India’s next best.