"Out of the box!"- Fans react as Team India hand five ODI debuts

As many as five players are making their ODI debut for India in the third game of the series against Sri Lanka. Having already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, the dead rubber is an opportunity for India to test their bench strength.

The five debutants are Sanju Samson, Nitish Rana, Krishnappa Gowtham, Chetan Sakariya and Rahul Chahar. Most of them have done well in the IPL and have been rewarded for their performances. This is the first time since 1980 that India have fielded five debutants in an ODI.

Twitter reacts to multiple India debutants

Fans on Twitter are excited to see so many new faces in the Indian camp. India will also be batting first and that would give them an opportunity to put huge runs on the board. Here is how they reacted to India's playing XI:

Happiest for Sakariya. Difficult year interspersed with brief spells of happiness. Brothers death, IPL auction success, IPL success, father's death, India debut. #SLvInd

— Sreshth Shah (@sreshthx) July 23, 2021

Five players are making their ODI debut for India today – Sanju Samson, Nitish Rana, Rahul Chahar, Chetan Sakariya and K Gowtham 👏#SLvINDpic.twitter.com/q6NYWV4W9N

— ICC (@ICC) July 23, 2021

The last time India made six changes to their playing XIs in successive ODIs in the same series was in Pepsi Cup tri-series in India in 1999. A young player from Najafgarh made his India debut in the second game and went on to score two Test 300s & an ODI 200.#SLvIND

— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) July 23, 2021

Inspirational journey of Chetan Sakariya. He is the Net Bowler in IPL 2020, And he lost his father & brother after 2021 IPL, he has good IPL 2021 & now he making his India debut on today vs Sri Lanka in 3rd ODI match. What an Amazing journey. So happy for Chetan Sakariya. #INDvSL

— CricketMAN2 (@man4_cricket) July 23, 2021

5 debuts for India. Rahul Dravid, the DD coach has turned up today it seems!

— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) July 23, 2021

Congratulations to Krishnappa Gowtham who makes ODI debut for Team India today. #SLvIND

— Karnataka Ranji Team║ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ರಣಜಿ ತಂಡ (@RanjiKarnataka) July 23, 2021

This is only the second instance of India having five debutants in an ODI after their inaugural match. The other was against Australia at the MCG in Dec 1980 when Dilip Doshi, Kirti Azad, Roger Binny, Sandeep Patil & Tirumalai Srinivasan made their debuts.#SLvIND https://t.co/7l1cfVFzOP

— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) July 23, 2021

Sanju SamsonRahul ChaharKrishnappa GowthamChetan SakariyaNitish RanaSet to make their ODI debut today!India gone with B Team but today playing with C Team 😀

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) July 23, 2021

OUT OF THE BOX!India made 6 Changes with 5 debutants.Sanju Samson, Nitish Rana, Chetan Sakariya, K Gowtham, Rahul Chahar All of them have been handed debut caps.It's something unorthodox.Let's see how it goes!#SLvIND pic.twitter.com/6lB4o1zZ9P

— Pankaj Ratandhayra (@impankajR1) July 23, 2021

7 players have made their debut for India this series, the most since India's tour of Zimbabwe in 2010 and the most number of debuts handed out since India's first ODI series. #SLvsIND

— Clive (@_vanillawallah) July 23, 2021

Rahul Chahar may have to thank his cousin Deepak for an ODI debut today. Wonder if India would’ve made five changes if the series was locked 1-1. Delighted to see them hand out opportunities, all deserving. K Gowtham, Chetan Sakariya, Sanju Samson and Nitish Rana are the others.

— Shashank Kishore (@captainshanky) July 23, 2021

Nitish Rana, balls per matchFirst-class: 36List A: 24T20: 4Unless Hardik bowls a lot, India have gambled with their fifth bowler.

— Abhishek Mukherjee (@SachinAzharCT) (@ovshake42) July 23, 2021

Good to see Sanju Samson making his ODI debut for India. Great to watch him bat, isn't it @ShashiTharoor??

— Kaustav Dasgupta 🇮🇳 (@KDasgupta_18) July 23, 2021

Sanju Samson captained the Rajasthan Royals for the first time in the 2021 IPL season and hit a brilliant hundred in the very first game. He has shown maturity as a player but has failed to be consistent in the chances that he has got for India. He will be keen to make an impact on his ODI debut.

Samson's RR teammate Chetan Sakariya's has been quite the story. The young left-arm speedster was brilliant in the first half of the 2021 IPL season with seven wickets in as many games. He will be an X-factor for India with the ball.

The likes of Krishnappa Gowtham and Nitish Rana bring loads of domestic and IPL experience with them respectively. They will be handy with the ball too and might fit into Krunal Pandya's role.

Rahul Chahar had a breakout first half of IPL 2021 season where he picked up 11 wickets from seven games. Many have touted him as India's first choice spinner for the upcoming T20 World Cup. For that to happen, he needs to have a good debut and he will back himself to pick up a few wickets.