**Abhishek Sharma Omitted from T20Is**
Abhishek Sharma was not picked for the India vs Sri Lanka T20I series as the BCCI announced India’s 15-member squad today. The Punjab all-rounder, who featured in all five matches during the Zimbabwe tour, scored a 47-ball 100 in his second T20I but missed out on a place in the Sri Lanka series. Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, and Mohammad Siraj have returned for the ODIs.
Sharma, who got a four-ball duck in his debut innings, bounced back by smashing the Zimbabwe bowlers all around in the second T20I while opening the batting. He compiled a hard-hitting century, studded with seven fours and eight sixes. However, the return of Yashasvi Jaiswal to the top-order from the third T20I meant Sharma was slotted in at No. 3, where he scored 10 and 14. He ended the series with 124 runs from four innings at an average of 31.00 and a strike rate of 174.64.
Sharma forced his way into the Indian T20I setup after a stellar IPL 2024 season for Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he finished as the 10th-highest scorer with 484 runs in 16 innings, striking at an impressive rate of 204.21. Despite the strong performance, Jaiswal and Shubman Gill are set to occupy the opening slots in the T20Is. There was a case for Sharma to be added as a backup opener, considering he is also a handy bowler. However, the selectors opted to strengthen the middle order by retaining Riyan Parag and Sanju Samson, while Rishabh Pant returned after being rested for the Zimbabwe series.
**Ruturaj Gaikwad Also Misses Out**
Ruturaj Gaikwad, who featured in four matches in Zimbabwe, also missed out despite scoring 133 runs in three innings at an average of 66.50 and a strike rate of 158.33. Gaikwad batted at No. 3 and No. 4 in the series.
**India’s T20I Squad for Sri Lanka Tour:**
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Suryakumar Yadav (C) | Batsman |
| Shubman Gill (VC) | Batsman |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | Batsman |
| Rinku Singh | Batsman |
| Riyan Parag | All-rounder |
| Rishabh Pant (WK) | Wicketkeeper-Batsman |
| Sanju Samson (WK) | Wicketkeeper-Batsman |
| Hardik Pandya | All-rounder |
| Shivam Dube | All-rounder |
| Axar Patel | All-rounder |
| Washington Sundar | All-rounder |
| Ravi Bishnoi | Bowler |
| Arshdeep Singh | Bowler |
| Khaleel Ahmed | Bowler |
| Mohammad Siraj | Bowler |
**India vs Sri Lanka Full Schedule**
| Match | Date | Time (IST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st T20I | July 27, 2024 | 7 PM | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium |
| 2nd T20I | July 28, 2024 | 7 PM | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium |
| 3rd T20I | July 30, 2024 | 7 PM | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium |
| 1st ODI | August 2, 2024 | 2:30 PM | R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, Colombo |
| 2nd ODI | August 4, 2024 | 2:30 PM | R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, Colombo |
| 3rd ODI | August 6, 2024 | 2:30 PM | R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, Colombo |