Why is Ravindra Jadeja not playing in IND vs SL ODI series?

Ravindra Jadeja, who was once the face of India’s all-rounder role across all formats, T20Is, ODIs, and Tests, seems to be fading a bit now. He has not been included in the ongoing India vs. Sri Lanka ODI series. So, what can we conclude? Is he dropped, or if not, why is he not playing against Sri Lanka at the R. Premadasa Stadium?

Not long ago, Indian players, including Ravindra Jadeja, won the T20 World Cup. Unfortunately, Jadeja failed to deliver good performances with both bat and ball. He had a disappointing campaign, scoring only 35 runs and taking just one wicket in 7 games. Soon after, he announced his T20I retirement. So, can we see this as the end of the road for Ravindra Jadeja? Is this the reason why he is not playing in the series against Sri Lanka?

There is no doubt that when Ravindra Jadeja didn’t receive a call-up for this series, many people thought this might be the last nail in the coffin for him, as selectors seemed to be moving on. This series is considered important as it serves as preparation for next year’s Champions Trophy.

However, it came as a relief to his fans when Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar clarified in his pre-series press conference that Jadeja is still in the scheme of things. Agarkar explained that since Axar Patel is already in the team and this series is just a short three-game series, it would be pointless to include both of them. He added that Jadeja hasn’t been dropped

As India have a long home schedule coming up, including series against Bangladesh and England, and then the Men in Blue will travel to Australia to defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, there is a lot at stake for Jadeja. It will be interesting to see how many games he plays and whether he will be able to make it to the Champions Trophy next year.

Ind vs SL schedule for ODI Series

Series	Venue	Date
1st ODI	R.Premadasa Stadium	August 2
2nd ODI	R.Premadasa Stadium	August 4
3rd ODI	R.Premadasa Stadium	August 7