Ind v SL 1st T20I Preview: India look favorites to win

India will take on the T20 defending champions Sri Lanka in a three-match T20I series starting tomorrow. It will be the first time the two sides face each other in the shortest format since the World T20 final in 2014, which Sri Lanka won.

Honestly, it should not be a huge challenge for the Indians. They have been very dominant on the Lankans whenever they have toured here. Sri Lanka is coming with a second string side as their top players have either been rested or are nursing niggles and injuries.

The positive for Sri Lanka is that they can test the youngsters with this series. With two big tournaments- Asia Cup and World T20 approaching, they will surely want to give an opportunity to them and add power to their bench strength.

The home team needs to win the upcoming Twenty20 series to retain their number one position in the ICC T20I Championship table which they secured after sweeping aside Australia last week.

India:

The top order is in great form. Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are the first choice openers. Dhoni will have to pick one out of Ajinkya Rahane and Manish Pandey for the role of the number three batsman in the team. But if Dhoni doesn’t choose to experiment, Rahane would be the preferred one over the less experienced Pandey. India will have to manage without their star batsman Virat Kohli who has been rested. Kohli with 199 runs played a vital role in the three-match T20I series Down Under where India whitewashed Australia.

Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, and Yuvraj Singh will form the middle order. After them they have Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya and Ravichandran Ashwin to follow. MS Dhoni’s creditability as a finisher in the team is declining but cannot be blamed for that as his career is already in its twilight. But despite all the talk he rose to the occasion in the T20Is against Australia and gave the team a perfect finish. Jasprit Bumrah and Ashish Nehra will form the pace bowling attack while the spin bowling duties will be handled by Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. The spin twins will definitely impact the match keeping in mind the slower tracks which would be on offer.

Jasprit Bumrah and Ashish Nehra will form the pace bowling attack while the spin bowling duties will be handled by Ashwin and Jadeja. The spin twins will definitely impact the match keeping in mind the slower tracks which would be on offer. Yuvraj and Hardik will bowl the 4 overs of the 5th bowlers share.

Sri Lanka:

Sri Lanka has opted to give their top performing domestic cricketers a chance in this series in absence of senior players. Wicketkeeper batsman Niroshan Dickwella has been added to Sri Lanka’s squad as cover for Tillakaratne Dilshan, who was ruled out of the first T20I against India with a hand injury. He is expected to be available for the second match in Ranchi. Dickwella earned his call-up through a good run in the Super T20 tournament, where he struck 189 runs in six innings, with a strike rate of 173. Dinesh Chandimal is set to lead the side in absence of regular skipper Lasith Malinga who misses out due to an injury and so does Angelo Matthews and swing bowler Nuwan Kulasekara.

Dickwella along with Danushka Gunathilaka will take the responsibility of opening the batting while Chandimal, Siriwardana make up for the rest of the top order. All-rounders Thisara Perera and Chamara Kapugedera will handle the lower order and also take some bowling responsibilities. Binura Fernando could also make it to the final team. Bowling wise, Dushmantha Chameera and Dilhara Fernando will be the frontline seamers. If Sri Lanka opts for a leg spinner then Jeffrey Vandersay will be in or if they choose an off break bowler then chances are Senanayake will be preferred.

Probable XI:

India:

Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (C & wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Ashish Nehra

Sri Lanka:

Niroshan Dickwella, Danushka Gunathilaka, Dinesh Chandimal (C & wk), Milinda Siriwardana, Binura Fernando/Dasun Shanaka , Thisara Perera, Chamara Kapugedera, Seekuge Prasanna, Dilhara Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay/Sachithra Senanayake, Dushmantha Chameera

Stats:

• Yuvraj Singh has scored 983 runs and needs only 17 more to achieve the 1,000 runs milestone.