Rohit Sharma's comeback to form is of vital importance to team India: Irfan Pathan

The series will provide the team management with some crucial information about how the squad will line up for the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup later this year and will provide clarity on who will play the major roles in the team.

Irfan Pathan, in an exclusive interaction with Star Sports, spoke on the importance of the ODI series, who the openers should be and the injury scares for some of the key players in the team.

Speaking exclusively on Star Sports show ‘Follow the Blues’, former India cricketer Pathan spoke on what India’s focus should be on the ODI series against Sri Lanka.

He said, “It is important to win the series, whatever series we play. The bilateral series or if you play the home or away series, it is important to win your confidence as well. But the aim would be the 2023 World Cup which is happening in India this October. So keeping the World Cup in mind, we need to focus on the team combination and select the 11 players accordingly."

"I expect team India to field only those players in these 20 matches who will be playing the 2023 World Cup so that everyone gets enough time to prepare themselves and this preparation for the World Cup starts with India vs Sri Lanka series.”

Speaking on who the openers should be for Team India in ODI’s, he said “I really think right now you should keep at least three openers in place, and for me, Rohit and Ishan come first and then obviously Shubman Gill.

"Shubman Gill is definitely a class act, the two T20 matches did not go well but he has the ability in him and he has performed well at one-day cricket. So, it's important to have him at number three, but I will start with Rohit and Ishan Kishan because Ishan Kishan has played some good cricket recently scoring a lot of runs.”

Pathan further spoke on how important it is for Rohit Sharma to come back into form.

“Coming back from injury is never easy, and the biggest challenge would be for Rohit Sharma to come back into form. Which is important for a leader. Look, Rohit Sharma as a white ball cricketer for India has played tremendously well over the years and he has to continue this form and make his legacy even better," he said.

"Fitness will be a challenge along with his return to form, but I have full confidence that he will be able to overcome these challenges fully,” he added.

Pathan also spoke on Bumrah’s return to the squad and how vital he is to Team India.

“Look I’m very sceptical about Jasprit Bumrah's comeback, I’m hoping that he will not have an injury effect on his bowling. But I really hope that he is fully fit, more than 100% fit, which is what I want to look at it because a player like Bumrah, is very important to the Indian team," he said.

"For him to play consistently and remain fit is of utmost importance because finding a player of his quality is very rare, so to manage him and for him to manage his body and to keep his fitness levels on top as well as to keep his mind on recovering from his stress injury and go under rehabilitation, and to continue to grow and move forward as a cricketer is of vital importance not only to Bumrah but for the team management as well.”