The Indian team’s itinerary for the planned tour to Sri Lanka in July is set to undergo a major change. As per reports from some popular news outlets, India vs Sri Lanka 2021 series schedule has been changed. The T20I series, which was initially planned to be a 3-match affair, will have additional matches.
Rahul Dravid likely to coach India in Sri Lanka
Very little information pertaining to the India-Sri Lanka tour has yet been made available from either nation’s cricketing boards. Much of the news coming about the series is based on popular hearsay and grapevine communication. A few days back, for instance, sources close to the BCCI had confirmed that Rahul Dravid will be coaching the India team in their Sri Lankan assignment. Dravid, on his part, is yet to confirm this development.
Changes in India vs Sri Lanka 2021 Schedule
But for as unconfirmed as they might be, these pieces of grapevine news certainly provide a great deal of excitement; especially for all the fans currently locked down in their homes. And the latest development to have emerged is most certainly one that fans will enjoy.
According to a report from Sportstiger.com, team India will now play 5 T20Is in Sri Lanka instead of 3 matches as originally planned. This will help the men-in-blue in better evaluating their bench strength ahead of the T20 World Cup that is scheduled to be played later this year. The ODI leg of the Sri Lanka tour, however, is unlikely to change, and feature 3 matches like it did earlier.
India-Sri Lanka series will take place simultaneously with the India-England test series
Team India’s tour to Sri Lanka will be a unique one in the aspect that another senior-division India team will be simultaneously participating in a different cricketing event at a different corner of the world. The Sri Lanka Limited-Overs series is expected to take place in late July; around the same time, the test team will be in England for a five-match test series following the World Test Championship Final.
ALSO READ: India women to play their first-ever day-night test match in Australia in 2021
The team in England will feature several of India’s all-format players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Jasprit Bumrah; allowing the Indian LOI team to specifically groom its T20 specialists. Popular speculation suggests that experienced India opener Shikhar Dhawan will be captaining India in Sri Lanka, with Shreyas Iyer serving as his deputy.