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ToggleAfter their comfortable series victory with a big margin of 4-1, the Indian national cricket team will lock horns with the Sri Lanka national cricket team for the first of the three-match T20I series. The SL vs Ind encounter will take place on July 27, 2024, at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele.
The visitors will look to begin their new chapter in the shortest format of the game under their newly appointed captain Suryakumar Yadav, while it will also be the first series under the coaching of Gautam Gambhir, who looks to make big changes in the Indian cricket.
Even though, the blue brigade provided rest to their main players during the away Zimbabwe five-match T20I series, they have gone with a balanced mix of young and senior players for the SL vs Ind T20I series, where their members from the winning Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad have made their way back into the team.
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Looking at the team for the format, it’s quite likely that the Indian team will go with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill at the opening position, while Sky to follow. Hardik Pandya, who was denied the captaincy of the format, will look to make a huge impact in this SL vs Ind series, along with Rishabh Pant, whose numbers in this format aren’t quite good at all.
Axar Patel is expected to be the spin all-rounder in the playing eleven. Both Mohammad Siraj and Arshdeep Singh should also be a part of the opening game of the T20I series, while Sanju Samson will aim to make a huge contribution in the three matches to cement his position. The eyes will also be on Riyan Parag, who didn’t get so many chances in his maiden series in Zimbabwe.
On the flip of the coin, it will be the first T20I game for Sri Lanka, since their group stage exit in the recent 20-over ICC tournament, where they didn’t perform well. There are so many loopholes in the side for the hosts before this SL vs Ind T20I series. Wanindu Hasaranga has stepped down from his captaincy position, as Charith Asalanka has been made the new skipper.
Dinesh Chandimal, who played his last T20I game almost two years ago, has also returned to the squad. The wicket-keeper left-handed opening batter Kushal Perera has also marked his comeback in the side after missing the T20 World Cup. However, the news of Dushmantha Chameera getting ruled out of the T20I series hasn’t been a positive one for Sri Lanka.
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The onus of their bowling department will be on the two spinners- Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana, while in the pace bowling department, Matheesha Pathirana will have a huge job his hand to the deliverer, especially in the death overs of the game.
The last Five Matches For SL vs IND
In the last five encounters of the SL vs Ind series in the T20I format, the Indian team is ahead with a 3-2 margin. Last time when India made their trip to Sri Lanka for the T20I series, the hosts registered a 2-1 series win, after getting defeated in the very first game, in Colombo.
SL vs IND Teams:
Sri Lanka’s Probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kushal Perera (wk.), Kushal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis/Avishka Fernando, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana.
India’s Probable XI: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Sanju Samson (wk.), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammad Siraj, Arshdeep Singh.