IND vs SL: India Playing XI vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup 2023, Final Match - Predicted

India and Sri Lanka will face each other on Sunday in Colombo in the final of the Asia Cup 2023.

After 15 days of intense cricket, the Asia Cup 2023 has reached its final end. Started with six teams, and four of them qualified for the Super Four. Now, India and Sri Lanka are the ones that will play in the final on Sunday in Colombo. This will be the ninth Asia Cup final between the two teams.

India, with five wins, are ahead as compared to Sri Lanka's three. So can India continue that? For that, they need to perform as a unit. Don't forget, India are coming off a defeat against Bangladesh. One can say that India rested five of their main players, but a defeat is a defeat. Here we will talk about India's predicted playing XI for the final against Sri Lanka.

IND vs SL: India’s Predicted Playing XI vs Sri Lanka

1. Rohit Sharma (C):

Indian captain Rohit Sharma had a rare failure in the last game when he got out for a two-ball duck. But he has been on fire this tournament. Rohit has scored 194 runs in five innings at an average and strike rate of 48.50 and 107.77 respectively, with three half-centuries. He will look to add another trophy as captain before the World Cup.

2. Shubman Gill:

Shubman Gill has been in phenomenal form, not just in this tournament but for the last 12 months. He is the highest-run scorer in 2023 and also in this tournament. His 121 against Bangladesh on a difficult track almost pulled off a win for India. But he will be looking to capitalize on this form more and make a big mark in the final. Gill has scored 275 runs at 68.75 in this Asia Cup 2023.

3. Virat Kohli:

After resting for the last game, Virat Kohli will be back in business. He got out cheaply in the last game against Sri Lanka off Dunith Wellalage. But he rarely fails against the same team in two innings. So we are up for a big innings for India's No. 3. Virat has scored 129 runs at an average of 64.50 and a strike rate of 114.15.

4. KL Rahul:

KL Rahul has also made a superb comeback in international cricket in this tournament. He has been among the runs and started with a brilliant hundred against Pakistan. Rahul has scored 169 runs in three innings at an average and strike rate of 84.50 and 89.51, respectively, and he will be a big wicket for the Sri Lankans.

5. Ishan Kishan (Wk):

Ishan Kishan has looked a bit scratchy in the last couple of innings, but he has been scoring runs as well. He started with a brilliant 82 off 81 against Pakistan and has scored 120 runs at an average of 40 so far. The left-hander is very important for Indian batting, which is dominated by right-handers. He can tackle Sri Lankan left-arm spinners, which created problems for India in the last game.

6. Hardik Pandya:

The vice captain, Hardik Pandya, will also be back after a rest in the last game. Hardik has been the key player for India with both the bat and the ball. He has been India's third seamer. If the pitch is turning, he will have a big role. Hardik has taken three wickets at an economy rate of 3.61 and has also scored 92 runs at 46.

7. Ravindra Jadeja:

This tournament hasn't been good for Ravindra Jadeja with the bat. But he has bowled some game-changing spells so far. The all-rounder has taken six wickets at an economy rate of 4.34 and controls the scoring rate in the middle overs. His batting will also come into play, and he is one of the few players who can win games in all three aspects of the game.

8. Shardul Thakur:

Shardul Thakur has also played some games in this tournament. In fact, he has played all the games except against Sri Lanka. He has done a decent job with the ball and taken 5 wickets in four innings, but as a bowling all-rounder, his batting hasn't clicked yet. His biggest strength is breaking partnerships, and Rohit uses him for that reason in the middle overs.

9. Kuldeep Yadav:

Kuldeep Yadav was rested against Bangladesh, but he has been India's best bowler in the ongoing tournament. The left-arm spinner has taken nine wickets in just three innings at an average of 11.33, and his fifer against Pakistan and four-wicket haul against Sri Lanka helped India reach the final. The Sri Lankans couldn't pick him in the last game, and he can be a threat in the final as well.

10. Jasprit Bumrah:

Jasprit Bumrah's return has been a huge boost for India, as with Bumrah, the Indian bowling is looking threatening. He has bowled in limited spells in this tournament and has taken three wickets at an average and economy rate of 16 and 4, respectively. Bumrah will be India's premier bowler and will look to take some early wickets in the powerplay.

11. Mohammed Siraj:

Mohammed Siraj is another Indian bowler who has shown great improvement in the last 12 months and has become a regular in the white-ball format. He has been brilliant for India in the powerplay, chipping away at some wickets. Siraj can be tricky at times for the batters, and he is also in good form, which will create doubt in the minds of Sri Lankans.