1. Shikhar Dhawan
The senior India batsman will have an added responsibility on his shoulders in Sri Lanka for he will also be donning the captaincy hat in the series. The left-handed opening batsman will be looking to score big in the limited-overs series and keep himself in contention for the T20 World Cup.
At the end of the T20I series against England at home, captain Virat Kohli claimed he will be opening the innings along with Rohit Sharma and putting the southpaw under pressure. Against Sri Lanka, Dhawan would be looking to put up a stellar show and keep himself in contention.
2. Prithvi Shaw
The talented batsman from Mumbai will be opening the innings for India along with Dhawan, his Delhi Capitals' teammate Dhawan. The right-handed batsman will be looking to grab the opportunity to prove his talent.
Shaw was in sublime form in the IPL and the domestic season earlier this year and has been rewarded for the good show. Coach Rahul Dravid will most likely stick to the opening combination of Dhawan and Shaw.
3. Suryakumar Yadav
The young India batsman showed glimpses of his batting talent in his debut T20I series against England at home. The right-handed batsman from Mumbai would be making his ODI debut in Sri Lanka. Suryakumar is deemed as a future star of Indian cricket and all eyes will be on him how he performs in the island nation during the 50-overs format.
4. Sanju Samson (wk)
The Kerala wicketkeeper-batsman is a highly rated domestic player but the right-handed batsman has failed to make an impression in whatever chances he's got. This time Samson will be eager to make most of the opportunity by putting some runs to his name.
Samson - who was appointed the captain of the Rajasthan Royals franchise ahead of the IPL 2021 - will be looking to shed the tag of an inconsistent customer from his name.
5. Manish Pandey
The senior Karnataka batsman is one of the unlucky few who has failed to earn a permanent spot in the senior national side.
The right-handed batsman has been associated with the limited-overs national side since 2016 but hasn't been able to cement his position in the side due to the constant chopping and changing.
Pandey would be looking to play some big knocks and reclaim his spot.
6. Hardik Pandya
The Baroda all-rounder will be one of the most sought-after India players in the upcoming series. Hardik Pandya has emerged as a big match-winner for Team India in the limited-overs format and would be looking to send some stern warning to the opposition with his explosive batting.
Team management would be keenly looking at Hardik's bowling performance for that would be a major shot in the arms to the national side.
7. Krunal Pandya/Rahul Chahar
Hardik's elder brother, Krunal, is most likely to make it to the playing eleven against Sri Lanka for being a utility batsman and a disciplined spinner.
The left-arm spinner will be hoping for an impressive show against the Lankans to keep himself in the reckoning in the limited-overs side.
Rahul Chahar:
The young spinner from Rajasthan has been making a name for himself in the IPL as well as in the domestic circuit and he might also get a spot in the playing in the upcoming series. Chahar has been performing exceedingly well for Mumbai Indians and is known for bowling fearlessly.
8. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
The Uttar Pradesh pacer will be leading the fast-bowling attack in Sri Lanka and the right-arm quick - who is also named the vice-captain of the side - will be looking to find his rhythm in his comeback series after recovering from injury.
Bhuvneshwar will be one of the key India pacers in the T20 World Cup and his coming to form will be a major boost to the side.
9. Deepak Chahar
The Rajasthan pacer will be looking to make the most of the opportunity he'll get in Sri Lanka. The right-arm quick has a golden chance to impress the selectors, as well as the team management, with his performance in the upcoming series.
Chahar hardly gets a chance in the senior national side due to the presence of players like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, etc. The absence of these limited-overs regulars presents a perfect opportunity to the Chennai Super Kings pacers to impress the selectors.
10. Kuldeep Yadav/Navdeep Saini
The last couple of years have been a tad disappointing for the young chinaman from Uttar Pradesh. Once deemed as Team India's biggest strength in the white-ball format, Kuldeep Yadav seems to have lost his touch and the upcoming series will be a litmus test for the wrist spinner.
A disciplined show in Sri Lanka wouldn't just boost the spinner's confidence but also provide some relief to the team management for their match-winner will be back in form, just in time.
Navdeep Saini:
The Delhi pacer has been impressive in the limited-overs format and could be included in the playing eleven if the team management wishes to field three pacers or Hardik isn't completely fit for bowling.
11. Yuzvendra Chahal
Like his wrist-spin twin Kuldeep, Yuzvendra Chahal has also been under a lot of pressure lately. The right-arm leg-spinner looked ineffective in the last couple of series and will be looking to put up an impressive show in the island nation to find his mojo back.
The Men In Blue are likely to start with the pair of Kul-Cha (Kuldeep and Chahal) in the ODI series and the Haryana spinner's form will be crucial to Team India's success in Sri Lanka and in the upcoming T20 World Cup.