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The different but impressive Indian team will take on an underperforming Sri Lankan side in a 6-match limited-overs series, starting with the 1st ODI at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday.
Vijay Hazare Trophy top scorer Prithvi Shaw is expected to line up alongside Shikhar Dhawan. Senior players Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are expected to find an automatic place in the playing XI. However, there are several contenders for the other spots.
Before starting the three-match ODI series, captain Dhawan pointed out some similarities and differences between head coach Ravi Shastri and alternate coach Rahul Dravid.
“They (Dravid and Shastri) both have their own qualities, and they both are very positive people. I have spent time with Ravi Bhai (Ravi Shastri), and their ways to motivate are different,” Dhawan was quoted as saying during a press conference on Saturday.
“Ravi Bhai’s energy is a bit strong, whereas Rahul Bhai (Rahul Dravid) is very calm, composed, and strong as well, so everyone has their own way, and I enjoy playing under both of them,” he added.
After retiring from international cricket, Dravid was head coach of the India U-19 and India A teams in the recent past. He is also currently the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.
There is speculation that the former India captain will succeed Shastri once his tenure as coach ends after this year’s T20 World Cup. Under Sastri’s leadership, India won several series in all formats but could not end the 8-year drought after winning the ICC trophy. Therefore, experts believe that Dravid would be the ideal replacement for Shastri as the former had led India’s U-19 team to a triumph in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2018.
