While Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return, BCCI confirms last-minute exclusion from ODI squad vs Sri Lanka

India were left with a mixed feeling on eve of ir ODI series against Sri Lanka as on one hand y will have stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returning to side while on or, unfit pace spearhe Jasprit Bumrah will yet again miss action.

Bumrah was expected to bolster bowling attack in three-match series commencing here on Tuesday, but his return has been delayed furr after he failed to recover completely from stress fracture in lower back, which has seen him miss several assignments including Asia Cup and T20 World Cup.

re is w a question mark over wher pace spearhe will be available for white-ball home series against New Zealand beginning on January 18, and wher he will be in contention for four-Test Border-Gavaskar series commencing on February 9.

With India set to host ODI World Cup in October-vember this year, Bumrah's last-minute exclusion is only ding to mystery surrounding pace bowler's recovery and rehabilitation process.

return of old guards Rohit, Kohli and KL Rahul and also Shreyas Iyer, though, will give hosts a huge boost as y eye series after clinching T20Is against Sri Lanka.

India have a packed ODI calendar -- 15 matches excluding Asia Cup -- in 10-month window in build-up to World Cup in October-vember and key will be to t just get balance right but also man worklo in midst of Indian Premier League and highly-anticipated Australia Test series.

But ar injury scare to Bumrah has thrown spanner in works of team manment.

re also lies problem of plenty in picking top-five batters.

Opener Rohit and . 3 Kohli pick mselves, while on form, it will be tough to drop Ishan Kishan and Iyer.

Kishan played a sensational kck in his last ODI in Banglesh recently when he scored a career-best 210. youngster could be in a direct clash with Shubman Gill to open with Rohit. While Gill did t play Banglesh series in December last year, he has proved his worth as an ODI format player.

Iyer h a dream run in ODIs last year and scored 724 runs at an aver of 55.69 in 15 innings. He was backbone of India's batting with his ability to rotate strike and tackle spin in middle overs -- a key skill on sub-continent tracks.

n re's phemen named Suryakumar Yav, whose T20 exploits have forced manment to explore his utility in 50-over format. middle-order batter is fresh from a 51-ball unbeaten 112 in ir 91-run win over Sri Lanka in third and final T20I at Rajkot.

It was Surya's third century in format in seven months, making him first player in history of game to score three T20I ton while t opening batting.

However, his ODI career hasn't really taken off so far. Surya has scored 384 runs in 16 matches with just two half-centuries but he could get full backing from team manment to improve on his 50-over numbers in le-up to World Cup.

With veteran quick Mohammed Shami also back in ranks, he too should be in playing XI along with eir of Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik.

New vice captain Hardik Pandya's bowling skills will also come in handy, but for someone who missed more than a year due to back injury in le-up to IPL 2022, it remains to be seen how many overs skipper gets out from India's premier all-rounder.

It will be a happy heache for India as y would look to dominate ODI leg and do a double against visitors, who have an almost similar side that lost T20I series 2-1.

Sri Lankan skipper and star all-rounder Dasun Shanaka led by example in T20Is, emerging as ir top run-getter with 124 runs at a strike rate of 187.87.

Sri Lanka would look for more stability at top and hope opener Pathum Nissanka gives m a solid start.

Nissanka was ir leing run-getter last year (491 runs from 11 matches) and he would like to continue from where he h left off.

middle order will be steered by Charith Asalanka who also h a fruitful last year, averaging 53.25. visitors have also drafted in leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay, who could be handy on Indian wickets.

Vandersay was ir leing wicket-taker in ODIs last year, claiming 14 scalps from seven matches.

Teams (from) India: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yav, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yav, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh.

Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Kusal Mendis (vc), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Seera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ashen Bandara, Maheesh ekshana, Chamika Karunaratne, Dilshan Mushanka, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwanidu Fernando (ODIs), Dunith Wellal, Pramod Mushan, Lahiru Kumara.