The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a strong 15-member team for the two-match test series against Sri Lanka in August. Although the team is very strong in terms of the experience of some of the old-school players, South African cricket legend AB de Villiers expressed surprise over the selection of wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, as he has been struggling in the IPL so far.
De Villiers expressed his opinion about India's selection of the team on his YouTube channel, saying that Pant's performance will be examined for fitness and hunger for success and will be one of the most closely watched elements in the team selection in this series. Pant appeared to be slightly low on confidence and energy, he said, but having the national jersey is an excellent way to bring out the best in top players and he expects Pant to return with his signature intensity.
The series, which will feature two test games at the Galle and Colombo venues, is of particular importance as part of the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. India is currently the fifth team in the WTC and Sri Lanka is sixth, so these valuable points are very much key for both teams as they work towards the 2027 summit clash.
In contrast to his remarks on Pant, De Villiers welcomed the return of the experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who as of now has to get final fitness clearance from the board. De Villiers was so impressed by how fresh and fit Bumrah is and how his presence can keep opposition batters always under pressure, and he was pleased to see Jadeja still around.
The squad also has some interesting tactical changes, including the bowling all-rounder Saransh Jain. Looking at Jain as a bowler, de Villiers compared him to Washington Sundar and said Jain will give Shubman Gill some better options in the middle overs when the ball deteriorates. With the likes of the famous spinners Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, Jain's addition brings great variety to the spin department.
The team is led by Shubman Gill and vice-captain KL Rahul. India's 15-member team for the Sri Lanka tour comprises Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, and Saransh Jain.
