Cricket
Nagraj Gollapudi, News editor, ESPNcricinfo 3y

India's tour of Sri Lanka in July to comprise three ODIs, three T20Is

Cricket

India are set to play three ODIs and three T20Is in Sri Lanka in July, but it will almost certainly be a second-string side that will appear, with many of India's top-flight players likely to be in the UK on Test duty.

According to the proposed itinerary from Sri Lanka Cricket, which has been seen by ESPNcricinfo, three ODIs will be played on July 13, 16 and 19, followed by T20Is on July 22, 24 and 27.

Although the Indian Test squad is not in action in July, they are scheduled to play in the World Test Championship final from June 18 to 22, before a five-match Test series against England begins on August 4. Quarantine rules being what they are across the planet, it appears logistically impossible that the same players can be available for the white-ball matches in Sri Lanka, and the first Test against England in Nottingham, in particular.

According to the preliminary itinerary, India's white-ball squad would arrive in Sri Lanka on July 5 and depart on July 28. Upon arrival, the Indian squad will have to serve out a week-long quarantine which will be split into two sets: the first one comprising three days of hard quarantine inside their rooms followed by four days where the squad can train but with their movement strictly restricted to just the hotel and the ground.

Keeping in mind the safety of the bubble, it is almost certain that the series will play out without crowds. SLC has not yet indicated which venue(s) will host the series, but the Sooriyawewa ground near Hambantota and the ground at Dambulla appear as strong candidates, as both are remote venues. India have not played in Sri Lanka since the Nidahas Trophy in 2018.

For Sri Lanka, India's visit will be their first at home upon returning from England, where they are scheduled to play a white-ball series comprising three T20Is and three ODIs between June 23 and July 4.

No Kohli, Rohit, Pant but expect Dhawan, Hardik, Bhuvneshwar
With Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul and a few others likely to miss out because they will be in preparation for the England Tests, the selectors are likely to pick from an abundant IPL talent pool that has been honed through the India A programmes under Rahul Dravid.

Shikhar Dhawan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson, Prithvi Shaw, Deepak Chahar, Rahul Chahar, Jaydev Unadkat, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy and Rahul Tewatia are some of the players who will be in the mix for the Sri Lanka tour.

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