Haren
India vs Sri Lanka 1st T20I Playing 11: India will take on Sri Lanka in the first T20I of the three-match series at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
With the engine-room chiefs Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring, India will have a transition in progress with Suryakumar Yadav taking over as captain. While a crop of the T20 World Cup-winning team remains, India will have certain positions to cement as the road to the next World Cup slowly begins in Sri Lanka.
Ravi Bishnoi to lead wrist-spin attack
With the exclusion of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav being rested, Ravi Bishnoi will be drafted in to lead the wrist-spin attack for India. Bishnoi had a fruitful series in Zimbabwe and is likely to form a nagging combo along with Axar Patel.
Pant over Samson?
Though his form in the T20 World Cup knockouts were found wanting, Rishabh Pant is likely to continue as the primary wicket-keeper in T20Is, keeping Samson on the bench for now.
India predicted XI for 1st T20I: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh/Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.
Hey you fielding drill – How so fun 😄😎
Quite a vibe in the group in this fun session at Kandy 🤙#TeamIndia | #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/nIaBOnM8Wy
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 26, 2024
Bowling concerns for Sri Lanka
In less than a week, Sri Lanka has lost three key seamers in Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara and Binura Feranando who has been hospitalized due to a chest infection. The Lankans, also in transition, will hope lead bowlers Matheesha Pathirana, Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana will come good in Pallekele.
Sri Lanka predicted XI for 1st T20I: Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka (c), Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando.
Squads
Sri Lanka Squad: Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis(w), Charith Asalanka(c), Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Binura Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Perera, Asitha Fernando, Dunith Wellalage, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Ramesh Mendis.
India Squad: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, Khaleel Ahmed, Shivam Dube.
