India v SL: 3 players who can bat in the No. 3 slot

The Indian side which is set to tour Sri Lanka in July will be without the services of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah. This shifts the focus onto the players who are new additions to the team and those who have been in and out of the side.

With BCCI president Sourav Ganguly hinting at a new-look Indian squad, there is every reason to believe the team is looking to build a roster with the ICC T20 World Cup in mind.

For players like Manish Pandey, Ishan Kishan, and Suryakumar Yadav, the series against Sri Lanka will be a solid opportunity to prove themselves and give the selectors a happy headache.

Ahead of Team India's squad announcement, we take a look at the options the team can employ in the No. 3 position in Kohli's absence.

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#1 Suryakumar Yadav

The Mumbai batsman had a breakout season in IPL 2020. As a reward for his efforts, he found a place in the national team during the T20 series against England.

Yadav was part of the Indian team that won the last two matches of the series and the fifty he scored on his debut showcased his potential. His cool head, fluent strokeplay and ability to hit long and hard make him a frontrunner to play in the No. 3 position.

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#2 Manish Pandey

Manish Pandey has found himself in and out of the Indian squad in recent years. However, his run in IPL 2021 run saw him rack up 93 runs from five games, with two fifties to his name while batting at No. 3. This makes him one of the contenders to play in the samp position for the national team.

Pandey's unbeaten knock of 104 against Australia might have seemed a long time ago. However, his recent exploits with the bat and his fielding skills are reasons why he can play in the No. 3 position in the months to come.

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#3 Sanju Samson

The Rajasthan Royals skipper slammed a ton against the Punjab Kings in IPL 2021 to celebrate being appointed captain. However, he has blown hot and cold since that game.

The Kerala wicketkeeper will be one of the choices for India to don the gloves and he might also get a chance to play at No. 3 in the series against Sri Lanka.

With his crisp timing and a wide array of strokes, Samson at No. 3 might come as a surprise move. However, he may just pip Yadav and Pandey to take the all-important spot as the team management try different combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup this year.