India’s limited-overs series against Sri Lanka will consist there ODIs and T20Is, with the tour starting on July 13 with the first ODI and ending on July 25 with the final T20I. The schedule was confirmed by broadcaster Sony Network in a Tweet. The post also had Shikhar Dhawan as the lead image, hinting that he could be India’s captain for the tour.
“The Team India coaching staff will be in the UK and it is best that the young team is guided by Dravid as he has already worked with almost all of India ‘A’ boys. The comfort the youngsters share with him will be an added advantage,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying by ANI.
The tour will see a second-string, and yet strong, India side as the main players including Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are in the United Kingdom for the ICC World Test Championship Final and the subsequent Test series against England.
In a press conference before leaving for England, Kohli had said this will become the norm.
Kohli explained that this will help players manage workload, not just physical but mental too.
“Two squads in different places… with the current structure, and the kind of structure that we’re competing inside, to be very honest, it’s tough for the players to stay motivated for a long period of time and find the right kind of mental space confined in one area, doing stuff day in day out and dealing with high pressure situations. So this will definitely become a norm for the future.
“Apart from workload, I think the mental health side of things will also come into picture big time because you don’t have an outlet at all in today’s day and age. You’re literally going to the ground, coming back to the room. You have no space where you can just disconnect from the game and go out for a walk or a meal or coffee to refresh. This is a huge factor that should not be neglected.
“As much hard work we’ve put to create this team, you don’t want players to fall out because of mental pressures or space to express themselves. So I think the channel always has to be open, and the management has left it open for players to approach and say ‘I’m not feeling right in the head, need a break and disconnect from the game. I think that’s going to be a huge factor, and I’m sure Ravi bhai and the management feel the same.”
166/6(45.5) RR 3.62
