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Pandey, Axar, Chahal Star in India’s Bench Strength Test in SL 

The India team got a good look at its reserve players during the India-Sri Lanka ODI series.

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Before India embarked on the tour of Sri Lanka, chief selector MSK Prasad had emphasised the need to test India's bench strength with the World Cup being just a couple of years away. He suggested a pool of 20-25 players be created, who would be rotated for the next one year or so, to form a stable 15-men squad with the best performers. The move was welcomed by both Indian skipper Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri.

India seemed to be the favourite as the tour began with the Test series. However, the Sri Lankans were capable enough of putting up a fight, at least at their home turf.

But, the home team suffered humiliation with a 3-0 whitewash as Virat Kohli led India to their second successive Test series win in Sri Lanka.

India had fielded a full strength line up with all its first team players in the Tests. But, on witnessing Sri Lanka's condition, they identified it as the best opportunity to test all their fringe players in the ODI series. However, they had to be careful as Sri Lanka, as it was thought to be, can often turn out to be dangerous in the shorter formats. India had not forgotten their defeat to the same team in the Champions Trophy a couple of months ago.

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The India team got a good look at its reserve players during the India-Sri Lanka ODI series.
Virat Kohli shakes hands with Upul Tharanga after the fifth ODI.
(Photo: AP)

As the ODI series concluded, there was once again only one team – India, that emerged on top every single time. The result was another whitewash, a historic 5-0 victory against the toothless Sri Lankan lions, the first team to whitewash them at home in a five-match bilateral series. However, the victory didn't come with a full strength squad.

India went without their premier spinners, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, in this series. They were yet to find the answers to their middle order batting problems. As many as three players, KL Rahul, Manish Pandey and Kedar Jadhav were in contention for the Number 4 and 5 positions.

The young spinners like Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel had to prove their mettle too. Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar needed to prove themselves again as to why they deserved a place in the shorter formats ahead of Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami. Even MS Dhoni was under pressure to justify his place in the squad.

Only the place of three players – Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and the skipper Virat Kohli – seemed to be fixed in the squad. The rest still had to prove themselves and make a case for their selection.

As the series concluded, they found most of their answers. Kedar Jadhav had a torrid outing with the bat in the first three games but contributed well with the ball. He lost his place to Manish Pandey in the fourth ODI but was selected again for the fifth at the expense of KL Rahul. The result was his return to form with the bat as he scored 60 odd runs in India's run chase batting at Number 5. With his batting abilities and newly found bowling prowess, Jadhav 's place now seems more than guaranteed in the playing XI.

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The India team got a good look at its reserve players during the India-Sri Lanka ODI series.
File photo of Manish Pandey.
(Photo: AP)

Manish Pandey has made a case for himself as well with a fifty in the fourth ODI and a promising 36 in the fifth. KL Rahul has now gone to the back seat as he was unable to prove himself in the opportunities provided to him. Ajinkya Rahane, the 'Man of the Series' in the ODI series against the West Indies, just got one shot to prove himself due to Dhawan's unavailability in the fifth ODI. Unfortunately, he failed at that and will continue being the reserve opener for the side.

The young spinners in Axar, Kuldeep and Chahal have been the most impressive of the lot. They are now posing a serious challenge to Ashwin and Jadeja’s place in the shorter formats, especially Axar and Kuldeep.

Ashwin and Jadeja’s bowling performances in the shorter formats have been below par during the last couple of years. They seem to be lacking the X-factor in their bowling needed in today's world. But, the young trio have that in them.

They have shown a good wicket-taking ability that too with a tight economy rate which seemed to be lacking in Ashwin and Jadeja in recent times. An extended run to them during the Australia series will push their case further if they perform well.

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The India team got a good look at its reserve players during the India-Sri Lanka ODI series.
Jasprit Bumrah appeals for a wicket during the fifth ODI against Sri Lanka.
(Photo: AP)

More importantly, Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar have once again shown why they are preferred ahead of Shami and Umesh in shorter formats. Bumrah was exceptional in the series emerging as the highest wicket taker with 15 scalps to his name that also led him to be adjudged the 'Man of the Series'.

Bhuvneshwar was unlucky, ending up wicket-less for the major part of the series despite bowling well. However, he showed his class once again as he picked up a fifer in the final ODI on a batting deck. Deservedly, he was adjudged the ‘Man of the Match’ as well.

However, it was none other than MS Dhoni who justified his place in the squad more than any one else. His match winning 45* from a down and out position in the second ODI proved why he is the best finisher even today. Sublime innings of 67* and 49* followed in the third and fourth ODIs as well. And he remained unbeaten in the whole series.

All in all, the series turned out to be a perfect test for India's bench strength. It had given them the freedom to experiment less in the matches against the tougher teams ahead. Things look pretty sorted out for India right now. Signs seem to be pretty good and positive going ahead.

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(Prasenjit Dey is a freelance cricket writer. He can be reached at@Prosen02. The opinions expressed are the author’s own and The Quintneither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)

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Topics:  India Cricket Team 

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