IND vs SL 2021: 3 players who can make their ODI debut for India on Friday

After an outright win in the first ODI and a steely chase in the second, Team India are all but in a cozy position in Sri Lanka. While stand-in head coach Rahul Dravid isn't famous for the "horses for courses" approach, some on-field issues might warrant a relook ahead of the third ODI.

For one, Hardik Pandya looked quite uncomfortable while bowling on Wednesday. He is returning from a prolonged recovery spell from a nagging, three-year-old, lower-back injury which has also imperiled his return to the team as a genuine all-rounder.

It won't be a surprise if the Indian team decides to manage his workload in this dead rubber and bring him back for the T20I series, especially considering his value for the T20 World Cup.

This will open up two options for management. Either Krunal Pandya will play the role of the fifth bowler, with an extra batsman replacing Hardik. Or, if the support staff isn't confident in going with just five bowlers, a specialist bowler could be in for an opportunity as well.

Another reason for concern is Manish Pandey's form. The 31-year-old, although a bit unlucky in the second ODI, hasn't been at his best, collecting just 63 runs so far. While India are likely to back him for the final match, there's no harm in looking at the options if they don't.

Without further adieu, let's look at which three players could be in line to make their ODI debuts on Friday.

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#1 Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson👀 firing bullets in practice match #SanjuSamson 😍😍😍😍today pic.twitter.com/dGM96K4CzJ

— Virooting (@virooting) July 15, 2021

After missing out on the first ODI due to a ligament injury, Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson is back in business. The dashing right-handed batter could be the perfect addition to the Indian middle order.

Samson could take up the role of a floating finisher and bat according to the situation. An innings here, even a short one, will not only ready the 26-year-old for a potential T20 World Cup audition in the coming days but also test his skills as a middle order batsman for the future.

He's in good form too. In the first half of IPL 2021, Samson led from the front with 277 runs at an average of over 46, drawing plaudits for new-found consistency and maturity. Samson has often been criticized for not converting his limited opportunities at the top. An almost inconsequential ODI game, with more time to settle, could be just what he needs to present his case.

Admittedly, India have other equally exciting options as well - Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Nitish Rana - but all of them are predominantly top-order players who, in the current team, are in brilliant shape.

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#2 Chetan Sakariya

Chetan Sakariya could be India's X-factor

One of the finds of IPL 2021, Chetan Sakariya is a player everyone's looking forward to playing in India's retro blue. The 23-year-old left-arm pacer is a box of acuity and skill with the ability to surprise his opponents with crafty variations.

Sakariya picked up seven wickets from as many games, including that of former Indian captain MS Dhoni. He has also looked in decent touch during India's intra-squad matches in Colombo.

India do have the experience of Navdeep Saini waiting in the wings. But Sakariya's left-arm angle along with his slog-over acumen should pip over the Royal Challengers Bangalore pacer.

There are tempting options in the spin department as well in the shape of Rahul Chahar and Varun Chakravarthy but their chances look limited given how Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav have just started to gain back some rhythm.

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#3 Krishnappa Gowtham

Going back to the traditional way of Mudgal training #mudgal #riseandgrind #indiancricket #indvsl #strongerthanyesterday pic.twitter.com/lEAjkSKXGF

— Krishnappa Gowtham (@gowthamyadav88) July 17, 2021

Both the options mentioned above will require Rahul Dravid and co. to trust Krunal Pandya to bowl 10 overs and also single-handedly hold the burden of finishing the game. While Deepak Chahar's maiden half-century offers some confidence, he can't be expected to consistently perform at Hardik Pandya's skill level in the lower order.

Krishnappa Gowtham, the only all-rounder on the team apart from the Pandya brothers, can thus be the silver bullet. Gowtham hasn't had much high-intensity match practice of late but is a brilliant talent. He can hit the ball a long way and his off-spin is more than adept for bowling five overs at international level.

The Karnataka all-rounder has 51 List A wickets to his name, at an average of 25.62 along with 400 runs. Although playing Gowtham will again mean India going in with four spinners, they can use him as a specialist lower-order batsman and a backup sixth option.