IND v SL 2021: SLC announces new timings for India vs Sri Lanka series

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced a revised list of starting times for the upcoming India vs Sri Lanka limited-overs series. The ODIs will now begin at 3:00 pm instead of the original 2:30 pm while the T20Is will commence at 8:00 pm, an hour later than the initial 7:00 pm schedule.

The development comes after the series was delayed by five days due to multiple Covid-19 cases that emerged in the host camp. Sri Lankan batting coach Grant Flower tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday, and video analyst GT Niroshan followed on Friday.

The board needed more time for quarantines and contingency measures which led to the delay.

#SLvIND pic.twitter.com/LQSJT5tDmM

— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) July 12, 2021

Shikhar Dhawan's India and Dasun Shanaka-led Sri Lanka will clash in three ODIs from July 18 followed by as many T20Is from July 25. All matches will be played at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. While the visitors have been training for the past two weeks on the island nation with their 20-man squad, the SLC is yet to reveal its lineup.

The live telecast of the tour will be available on Sony SIX HD/SD, Sony TEN 3 HD/SD and Doordarshan. Fans can also stream the games on SonyLIV.

VVS Laxman and Irfan Pathan's playing XIs for India vs Sri Lanka ODIs

Prep & More Prep 🤜🤛Batting 🔥Bowling 💪Fielding ⚡️#TeamIndia in the groove for the Sri Lanka series 👌 👍 #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/JBoyrlx8l1

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 12, 2021

Previewing the series on Star Sports recently, former Indian cricketers VVS Laxman and Irfan Pathan picked their playing Indian XIs for the ODI leg of the series. In this regard, Laxman said:

“Well, it’s a very detailed squad, a 20-man squad. But I will go with Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, the No.3 batsman would be Suryakumar Yadav. At No.4 will be Sanju Samson in ODIs, No.5 will be Manish Pandey, at No.6 I will go with Hardik Pandya, No.7 Krunal Pandya. I will have two fast bowlers in Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Deepak Chahar and two spinners will be Kuldeep and Chahal. This is my ODI XI."

Pathan put up one change in Laxman's selection. He added an extra batsman in the shape of Nitish Rana to the Indian team, arguing that a bowling-fit Hardik Pandya can play the role of the third pacer.

“Only one change I would like, Hardik Pandya is bowling, so I will have him as an all-rounder, one more batsman I will add – Nitish Rana in place of Krunal. Apart from that same, because I will like to see Hardik Pandya bowl quite a few number of overs,” Pathan asserted.