It was a deja-vu situation for Team India as they had to play every player remaining in the squad in the second T20I against Sri Lanka in Colombo. Last time something like this happened was during the India tour of Australia in the fourth and the final Test at the Gabba in Brisbane where India had to feature their second-string side and the players like T Natarajan, Washington Sundar made their Test debut, while Shardul Thakur also played the game.
Now on Tuesday, with nine players including Krunal Pandya, who tested positive for COVID-19 and the eight players who were deemed as close contacts - Ishan Kishan, Prithvi Shaw, Manish Pandey Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Chahar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Krishnappa Gowtham - unavailable for selection having been put into isolation, India had to play all their remaining 11 players from the 20-member squad.
Hello & Good Evening from Colombo
Sri Lanka have elected to bowl against #TeamIndia in the #SLvIND T20I.
Follow the match https://t.co/Hsbf9yWCCh
Here's India's Playing XI pic.twitter.com/yqyeobUxuu
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 28, 2021
However, those 11 players comprised five batters and six bowlers. Since they didn't have any other options they had to go in with this combination as the standby players also consisted of bowlers only and Indian team had to make do with Shikhar Dhawan, wicket-keeper batsman Sanju Samson and three debutants Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Rana and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Former Indian batsman Wasim Jaffer, in his own witty style reacted to India's playing XI in the second match saying that it's not the first time that India had a long tail against Sri Lanka, referring to Lord Hanuman's tail from Ramayana. "Be scared Lanka, you've been burned before," Jaffer wrote.
Our tail this match. Be scared Lanka, you've been burned before #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/55mrNMLceL
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) July 28, 2021
Not just Jaffer, many other users too commented on India's playing XI. Here are some of the reactions:
Shikhar Dhawan bringing 11 players on the ground pic.twitter.com/dOToIj7JdC
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) July 28, 2021
Rahul Dravid while choosing India's playing XI.#TeamIndia #SLvIND #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/ovoWyiAtsc
— HIMANSHU KUMAR (@the_h_kr_) July 28, 2021
Haash!! India was left with the wicketkeeping option #SLvIND
— Rishi Sarda (@__rishi45__) July 28, 2021
India's net Bowlers to #RahulDravid & @SDhawan25 #INDvSL #SLvIND #SLvsIND @sagarcasm @WasimJaffer14 @virendersehwag @FarziCricketer pic.twitter.com/5hFj9odBc9
— Ankit Shah (@ankitshah1091) July 28, 2021
Both CSK and RCB fans are happy today. This is rare. #SLvIND
— Sritama Panda (@cricketpun_duh) July 28, 2021