India's new head coach Gautam Gambhir has requested senior players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah to feature in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka starting August 2 in Colombo.

The trio have been enjoying their breaks post India's T20 World Cup 2024 triumph in Barbados on June 29. While Bumrah was last updated at the wedding ceremony of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, Rohit and Kohli are abroad with their families.

Notably, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from T20Is moments after India won the T20I World Cup 2024. Ravindra Jadeja also joined them in bidding adieu to the shortest format of the game a day. However, Jasprit Bumrah made it clear that he was keen on playing all the three formats of the game for years to come.

As per the report by The Indian Express, Gautam Gambhir has urged Rohit, Kohli and Bumrah to play in the Sri Lanka ODIs as there would be another one-month break before the home series against Bangladesh starting with the first Test on September 19. The second Test will be played from September 27, and will be followed by three T20Is.

Kohli and Bumrah are especially going to focus on the Champions Trophy 2025 and the WTC final 2025.

As Gambhir is  starting his tenure as the head coach of the Indian cricket team with the Sri Lanka tour, and he would like to take the opportunity to work with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in his first assignment.

While Rohit Sharma will continue to lead India in ODI and Test formats, BCCI selectors are having discussions over the shortlisted candidates for T20I captaincy. Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav have emerged as the front-runners for the role.