Gambhir's India Dominates Sri Lanka, Iyer Returns for ODIs

Gautam Gambhir's tenure as head coach of the Indian cricket team has commenced with a resounding start, as the Suryakumar Yadav-led side has secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. The two teams will face off in the series finale on Tuesday, followed by a three-match ODI series commencing on August 2.

India's squad for the ODI series will witness the return of star batter Shreyas Iyer, who was dropped from the England Test squad earlier this year and subsequently omitted from the BCCI's central contract list. However, wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan remains absent from the team.

Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has attributed Kishan's prolonged absence to the player's preoccupation with fashion. "Ishan Kishan has fallen down the pecking order. He got into fashion a bit," Ali remarked on his YouTube channel.

Kishan's last appearance for India was in the third T20I of a five-match series against Australia in November 2022. He was included in the subsequent tour of South Africa but withdrew from the Test series due to personal reasons. Kishan also opted out of Ranji Trophy matches, prompting the BCCI to remove him from the central contracts list.

Sources indicate that Kishan's return to the team is contingent upon a full season of domestic cricket. His absence from the IPL is reportedly hindering his chances of selection. Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Sanju Samson are currently the designated keepers in the two white-ball formats.

Tags: #Cricket, #TeamIndia, #GautamGambhir, #SuryakumarYadav, #ShreyasIyer