India's probable playing XI for fifth ODI

Middle-order

Pandey made the most of his opportunity and looks set to continue

It has been either a feast or famine so far for Virat Kohli in the ODI series. While he has been dismissed for two single digit scores, he has over 200 runs in the other two games. He will be looking to finish the series on a high and whitewash Sri Lanka in the ODIs, just as they did in Tests.

Having been brought into the side for the fourth ODI, Manish Pandey made the most of his opportunity as he scored an unbeaten fifty and stitched a crucial century partnership with Dhoni to help India post 375/5. That and the fact that he is in a rich vein of form means that Pandey looks set to retain his spot and that might come at the expense of the struggling KL Rahul.

If there is one Indian player who is not in any danger of losing his spot apart from captain Virat Kohli, it has to be MS Dhoni. Even if the chairman of selectors doesn't think so, Dhoni has the backing of both Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri, who was effusive in his praise of the 36-year-old wicketkeeper. It helps that Dhoni has been in stunning form with the bat. Not only has he not been dismissed at all in the series, but he has guided India home in two chases as well and broken a world record while equaling another.