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Ruturaj Gaikwad to play first India match in 712 days; Rishabh Pant benched: Ranchi nets hints at Playing XI for 1st ODI
With Rahul as captain, India enters the ODI series in Ranchi aiming to recover from a Test series defeat. Here is what the net session hinted at the playing XI.
Ranchi will see a different India on Saturday. With Shubman Gill injured and Jasprit Bumrah rested, KL Rahul’s side starts the ODI leg chasing both redemption and answers after the 0-2 Test series humiliation.
The three-match series across Ranchi, Raipur, and Visakhapatnam in India’s first serious look at a transitional white-ball core built around Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Probable XI from Ranchi nets
From the long optional training under lights, a pattern emerged. Rohit and Yashasvi Jaiswal alternated in the same net; the left-handed batter looking to be prepared and take his opportunity in the format in Gill’s absence. That strongly points to the most evident Rohit-Jaiswal opening pair for the series.
Virat Kohli batted extensively at first change and kept swapping with Ruturaj Gaikwad in one net. Support staff, including Ryan ten Doeschate, spent time chatting with Kohli, while Gaikwad later had an animated, one-on-one with head coach Gautam Gambhir. The messaging is clear: Gaikwas isn’t being viewed as a spare opener, but as a no.4 audition in Shreyas Iyer’s injured slot.
KL Rahul, already confirmed as the stand-in captain and primary wicketkeeper, conferred at length with Gambhir about match-ups and tactics. Expect him at number five, anchoring the middle-order.
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While Tilak Varma was seen getting a long go in the nets, Rishabh Pant too was seen batting and having a chat with the support staff. While it seems like Tilak is getting a nod in the first match, it will be an interesting call from the Indian management.
Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar were both seen bowling long spells, simulating the spinners in the South African camp. Kuldeep Yadav is almost certain to play, and his detailed conversation with Kohli and other staff members confirms this.
In the pace department, Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna were seen bowling against Rohit Sharma. That suggests they start as the pace pair in the series, with Harshit Rana sitting on the bench to be explored later in the series.
Put together, the XI hinted by the net session looks like: Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (C and WK), Tilak Varma, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna.
