Hardik Pandya-led Team India will begin the new year with a three-match T20I series against Dasun Shanaka’s Sri Lanka, beginning with the first game at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday (January 3). Hardik, who lead India to a 1-0 series win over New Zealand in a rain-hit series last year, will look to consolidate his place as the T20 skipper with Rohit Sharma being asked to focus on ODI and Test cricket.
The Gujarat Titans skipper will be leading a young side against the Lankans with Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad set to be the new-look openers for this series. World No. 1 T20 batter Suryakumar Yadav will be back in action in the middle-order alongside his skipper Pandya and Shubman Gill and Deepak Hooda.
It will be interesting to see who will fit into the middle-order between Sanju Samson and Rahul Tripathi, who is yet to make his international debut. With Rishabh Pant sidelined after his accident, India will look at Samson and Ishan Kishan as his possible replacement for some time to come.
In the bowling department, Yuzvendra Chahal will be back in action with Axar Patel as the spinners while Arshdeep Singh and Harshal Patel are expected to do the pace bowling duties in the series. Check the squads for India vs Sri Lanka series here.
India: Hardik Pandya (captain), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (VC), Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Mukesh Kumar.
Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (C), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis (VC for ODIs), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (only for T20Is), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga (VC for T20Is), Ashen Bandara, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay (only for ODIs), Chamika Karunaratne, Dilshan Madushanka, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwanidu Fernando (only for ODIs), Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Thushara (only for T20Is).
