“Rishabh Pant or KL Rahul: Who Will Be India’s Keeper for Sri Lanka ODIs? Rohit Sharma Says…”

Skipper Rohit Sharma admitted on Thursday that it is a challenging decision to choose between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant for the wicketkeeper-batter role in ODIs. He emphasized that both players are “match-winners” in their own right. Pant recently returned to the Indian team during the T20 World Cup in the Americas, while Rahul is aiming to play his first ODI since January in the opening match against Sri Lanka on Friday.

“It’s a tough call to make between Rahul and Pant,” Rohit said during his pre-match press conference. “Both are quality players, and you know their abilities. They have won many games for us in the past.”

Rohit highlighted that having a surplus of talented players is a good problem to have. “It’s not easy to pick a team or a player when you have such quality. It’s always nice to have these kinds of problems while selecting the team, as it shows there is quality in the squad. I look forward to these problems as long as I am captain,” he said with a smile.

The skipper also emphasized the importance of allowing players to express themselves freely. The management has created a relaxed atmosphere in the dressing room to ensure players can play without fear. “The most important thing is to give players the freedom to express themselves. We have created an environment where players can play freely without worrying too much about their performance or results. If they play the way the team wants, we are more than happy,” he added.

Rohit also praised Suryakumar Yadav, his successor as India’s T20I captain, for his impressive start. “It’s early days in his captaincy, so I don’t want to say too much. He has done a great job so far. Let him continue, and then we can discuss it more,” he said. Under Suryakumar’s leadership, India secured a 3-0 win over Sri Lanka in the recent T20I series, which Rohit termed a good beginning.

Additionally, Rohit expressed his sadness over the passing of former Indian cricketer Anshuman Gaekwad, who died from blood cancer on Wednesday night. “I was absolutely devastated to hear the news. We had a few conversations during the BCCI awards and when I played the Ranji Trophy. He had some advice about my game, which was overwhelming because he was such a great cricketer for India. It was always nice to learn from seniors. Condolences to his family; losing a loved one is always tough,” Rohit said.