IND vs SL 2021: India's predicted playing XI for the 3rd ODI

The third and final ODI between India and Sri Lanka will be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday, July 23.

India will look to continue their climb up the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League points table with a series whitewash. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka are headed in the opposite direction. With only one win in the league so far, the hosts saw their points tally reduced even further after an over-rate violation in the second ODI.

Having sealed the series, India could rest and rotate ahead of their T20I assignment against the same opposition.

India's squad: Shikhar Dhawan (captain), Prithvi Shaw, Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Suryakumar Yadav, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Rana, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Yuzvendra Chahal, Rahul Chahar, K Gowtham, Krunal Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (vice-captain), Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini, Chetan Sakariya

Here is India's predicted playing XI for the third ODI against Sri Lanka.

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Openers: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Prithvi Shaw

India skipper Shikhar Dhawan

Certain reports have suggested that either Devdutt Padikkal or Ruturaj Gaikwad could be in line to make their India debut at the expense of Prithvi Shaw. But India must keep their opening combination intact, since the young opener has spent only a few overs in the middle thus far. Shikhar Dhawan will, of course, be at the other end as he attempts to oversee a series whitewash in Sri Lanka.

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Middle Order: Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Manish Pandey

India middle-order batsman Suryakumar Yadav

Ishan Kishan has blown hot and cold in the two matches of this series, but he should hold onto his place in the side. Sanju Samson has recovered from a knee injury and could make his way into the XI, but it seems likely that he will be saved for the T20I series.

Manish Pandey played a promising knock in the second ODI before an unfortunate dismissal and should get another opportunity. The in-form Suryakumar Yadav, who scored his maiden ODI fifty in his previous game, will round off the middle order.

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All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya

Hardik and Krunal Pandya will be the two frontline all-rounders in the side, keeping players like Krishnappa Gowtham on the bench. While Hardik has had a tough time in this series, Krunal has been one of India's best performers.

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Bowlers: Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav

India spinner Kuldeep Yadav

The hero of the second ODI, Deepak Chahar walked away with the Man of the Match award for orchestrating a remarkable lower-order heist. He should play the third ODI as well, as he attempts to make himself an Indian white-ball regular.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar appeared to be a bit tired in the previous game and could be rested ahead of the T20I series. Navdeep Saini, who adds a pacy dimension to the Indian attack, could make his first appearance of the tour.

Despite options like Varun Chakravarthy and Rahul Chahar, India should stick with their wrist-spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. While Chahal has arguably been the Men in Blue's best bowler in the ODI series, Kuldeep needs a run of games to boost his confidence.