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Sat, 27 July 2024
1st T20 Updates: Dominant India thrash SL by 43 runs
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22:45 Dominant India thrash SL by 43 runs
SL 170-all out (19.2 ovs) vs India 213-7 | Scorecard
The wickets continue to tumble for Sri Lanka. Arshdeep back into the attack and he strikes first ball. Hasaranga looks to hit the pacer over the leg side but fails to get hold of the lofted shot and is caught by Parag, running to his right at mid-on.
Arshdeep gets some late away movement to beat new batter Matheesha Pathirana, who plays and misses again next ball.
Pathirana gets the leading edge for a single before Theekshana avoids the bouncer and then defends the yorker.
Brilliant bowling from Arshdeep as he concedes just a single in the 18th over.
Siraj to bowl the penultimate over with India on course for an easy win.
Some bonus runs for Sri Lanka as Siraj's wayward throw and casual backing from Suryakumar gifts them four overthrows.
Siraj claims his first wicket of the match as he dismisses Pathirana, who looks to loft it down the ground but is caught at mid-on for six.
Parag to bowl the final over. He finishes off the innings in style with two successive wickets -- Theekshana and Madushanka -- to guide India to a 43-run victory in the series opener.
Parag finishes with dream figures of 3/5 in 1.2 overs as Sri Lanka are bowled out for 170 in 19.2 overs.
22:29 SL collapse; India set for easy win
SL 163-6 (17 ovs) vs India 213-7 | Scorecard
India introduce part-time leg-spinner Riyan Parag to bowl the crucial 17th over.
Sri Lanka suffer another blow as Dasun Shanaka is run out without facing a ball for a duck as he goes for a suicidial third run to after Mendis had inside edge Parag trying to reverse and Siraj did exceedingly well to get quickly to the ball and send back a quick throw to wicketkeeper Pant.
Wanindu Hasaranga gets a single off the leading edge before Mendis is beaten as Parag gets some sharp turn and bounce to beat the left-hander.
Parag gets his man next ball as Mendis looking to hit over the top but is beaten by the turn. Parag is delighted as he registers his first wicket in international cricket.
Sri Lanka have collapsed, losing five wickets for 21 runs in the last 16 balls to be reeling on 163/6 in 17 overs.
A dream opening over for Parag as he not only picks a wicket but concedes just five runs in the 17th over.
22:23 Sri Lanka 4 down; India in control
SL 158-4 (16 ovs) vs India 213-7 | Scorecard
Bishnoi back into the attack, to bowl his final over. Left-hander Kamindu Mendis gets a leading edge first ball which falls just short of the bowler, who dives for the catch but it falls short and he ends up getting hit on the cheeks.
Mendis reverse sweeps the next ball over short thirdman for a four before he smashes the next through the covers for another boundary.
Mendis sweeps the spinner's fourth ball for a single before Bishnoi strikes with the last ball of his spell.
Asalanka sweeps the spinner straight into the hands of Jaiswal at deep square leg to be dismissed for a duck.
22:15 Axar's double strike boosts India
SL 149-3 (15 ovs) vs India 213-7 | Scorecard
Pandya comes back into the attack. Nissanka continues to find the boundaries as he heaves the first ball over square leg for a six to raise the 50-run stand from 28 balls for the second wicket.
Pandya does well to follow up with two dot balls before Nissanka digs out the yorker for a single and Perera misses the heave and is struck on the pads for a leg bye.
Nissanka powerfully pulls the short ball straight to Bishnoi at deep midwicket, who puts down the catch and concedes a single.
Axar dents Sri Lanka's hopes with the key wicket of the well-set Nissanka. The right-hander makes room looking to hit the spinner through the off-side but misses the quicker ball and is bowled.
Nissanka walks back after a superb knock of 79 from 48 balls, with seven fours and four sixes.
Kusal Perera reverse sweeps Axar over short thirdman for a four before he pulls the short ball over square leg for another boundary.
But Axar has the last laugh. Perera miscues the slog sweep and is caught by Bishnoi at deep square leg after scoring 20 from 14 balls.
Two wickets in the final over for Axar, who finishes with 2/38 in four overs.
Sri Lanka need 65 from five overs for victory.
Pathum Nissanka
22:04 Nissanka's fifty keep SL hopes alive
SL 131-1 (13 ovs) vs India 213-7 | Scorecard
Bishnoi is back into the attack. He also manages to build some pressure giving away just three singles in the first five balls.
Kusal Perera releases the pressure as he lofts the last ball over the covers for a four -- the first boundary after 11 balls.
The asking rate has touched 12 with 108 needed from the remaining nine overs.
Nissanka taps Pandya to square leg for two runs and a direct hit which sees the ball deflect off the stumps to take it away from the fielder backing-up gifts Sri Lanka five overthrows.
Nissanka also races to his half-century from 34 balls to keep Sri Lanka's hopes alive.
Pandya bowls a wide down the leg side before Perera mistimes the pull shot for a single.
Nissanka can't get under the ball trying to loft as it falls short of the fielder to get the Sri Lankan two runs before he swats the pacer over square leg for a four and takes one off the last ball.
Axar back into the attack. The well-set Nissanka immediately targets the spinner as he reverse sweeps the first ball over short thirdman for a four.
The next ball is short as Nissanka pulls it over midwicket for another boundary before taking one on the off-side.
Two more singles make it 11 runs from Axar's third over.
Sri Lanka need 83 from seven overs as the asking rate dips below 12.
21:48 Arshdeep strikes; SL lose 1st wicket
SL 99-1 (10 ovs) vs India 213-7 | Scorecard
With 10 wickets in hand, Sri Lanka can afford to bat aggressively for the rest of the innings without bothering about losing a wicket or two.
India bring back Arshdeep as they look to break the opening stand.
Nissanka picks a single second ball before he Mendis swings the third ball over square leg for a six.
But Arshdeep gets revenge next ball. Mendis looks to pull the slower bouncer but ends holing out to Jaiswal at deep midwicket.
Mendis is dismissed after a quickfire 45 from 27 balls after putting on 84 runs for the opening wicket with Nissanka from 52 balls.
Kusal Perera gets off the mark with a single and Nissanka picks the slower ball early, pulling the short ball over midwicket for a six.
Pandya bowls a tidy over under the circumstances as he gives away eight runs in his second over.
At the halfway mark, Sri Lanka are 99/1 in 10 overs, needing 115 from 10 overs for victory.
The onus will be on Nissanka to continue after his good start, having stroked 47 from 29 balls.
21:37 Nissanka, Mendis give SL good start
SL 77-0 (8 ovs) vs India 213-7 | Scorecard
Sri Lanka looking to lift the tempo after they were unable to score at above 10 in the Powerplay.
Bishnoi is punished as Nissanka lofts the first ball of the seventh over back over the bowler's head for a four and then pulls the next for one.
Bishnoi strays down the leg side as Mendis sweeps the spinner fine for another four before the leggie strikes.
Mendis misses the sweep and is given out leg before wicket. But he immediately takes the review and there is a spike on the UltraEdge courtesy of the inside edge as the decision is overturned.
Another single to Mendis off the sweep shot as Bishnoi gives away 10 runs in his second over.
Hardik Pandya comes into the attack, to bowl the eighth over. He starts with a short wide delivery which Mendis cuts over point for a four and clips the next through midwicket for two runs.
A single each to the two batters before Mendis upper cuts the last ball fine on the off-side for another four.
21:27 Nissanka, Mendis give SL good start
SL 55-0 (6 ovs) vs India 213-7 | Scorecard
Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi comes into the attack in place of Axar. Mendis cuts the second ball past point for a four before he hits the next through the off-side for two runs.
Bishnoi fires the googly way down the leg side as wicketkeeper Pant also fails to gather to concede five wides.
Mendis mistimes the sweep shot off the last ball for a single to get 11 from the fifth over.
Change of ends for Axar. Mendis can't get the pull shot in the gap as the fielder at square leg half stops it to give away just one as Sri Lanka bring up their 50, in the sixth over.
Axar bowls it flat as Mendis is beaten trying to hit it square before he cuts the next to the fielder at point.
Nissanka pulls the fourth ball to deep square leg for one and Mendis sweeps the last ball uppishly over the fielder at square leg for a boundary.
Sri Lanka recover after a slow start to reach 55 for no loss in six overs but they are still behind the asking rate.
They need another 159 runs from 14 overs for victory at an asking rate of more than 11.
Nissanka has stroked 31 from 19 balls while Mendis has struggled to score 23 from 17 balls.
21:19 Nissanka, Mendis give SL good start
SL 38-0 (4 ovs) vs India 213-7 | Scorecard
Spin introduced early as left-arm spinner Axar Patel comes into the attack, to bowl the third over, with Arshdeep getting just one over in his first spell.
Mendis pulls the first ball through midwicket for a four and then takes one before Nissanka sweeps the third ball behind square for another four.
Axar slows down the flighted ball as Nissanka mistimes the sweep shot on the leg side for just one.
Mendis walks across his stumps but misses the sweep off the full delivery down the leg side. That was very close to the leg stump but the umpir rules it a wide and Axar is not very happy with that call.
Mendis mistimes the pull shot for a single to deep midwicket as Axar concedes 12 in his first over.
Siraj continues from the other end. Mendis is beaten first ball by the change of pace before he blocks the next ball.
Mendis takes a single down to thirdman and Nissanka plays the upper cut off the short wide delivery for a six over thirdman.
Two balls later, the right-hander pulls the short ball over square leg for another six.
21:10 Sri Lanka off to a watchful start
SL 13-0 (2 ovs) vs India 213-7 | Scorecard
Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis are the two openers for Sri Lanka, who need to make most of the Powerplay.
Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh to open the bowling for India. The first ball is full and swings into Nissanka, who is struck on the pads but the leg before shout is turned down.
He taps the next ball to the fielder at point before he smashes a wide half-volley in the gap past the fielder at mid-off for a four to get off the mark.
The next ball is back of length but again wide as Nissanka steers it past past point for another boundary followed by a quick single and Mendis is beaten last ball as he tries to drive the length ball angled across.
Mohammed Siraj from the other end. Nissanka defends the first two balls before he drives a full delivery to the fielder in the covers.
Siraj gets the ball to swing into Nissanka, who is struck on the pads but the leg before shout is turned down.
Nissanka punches the fifth ball in the gap through the covers for two runs before he pulls the last ball for two more as Siraj makes a tidy start, conceding just four runs.
20:51 SKY's-26 ball 58 powers India to 213
India 213-7 (19 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard
Pacer Fernando to bowl the final over. Axar is beaten by the slower delivery as Fernando starts with a dot and he then digs out the yorker back to the bowler.
He miscued the third ball high on the off-side as Dasun Shanaka charges in from sweeper cover but can't get to the catch and two the two Indian batters rush between the wicket to collect three runs.
Rinku throws his bat at a wide delivery but is beaten by the slower ball as he ends up dragging it back on to his stumps to be bowled for one.
Arshdeep gets a single from the fifth ball before Axar lofts the last ball over long-off for a six to end the innings in great style.
India finish on a huge 213/7 in their 20 overs, losing four wickets for 54 runs in the last five overs.
Captain Suryakumar top-scored with an attacking 58 from 26 balls, while Pant stroked 49 from 33 balls.
20:44 Pathirana takes 4 but India cross 200
India 203-6 (19 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard
Theekshana to bowl the 18th over. He starts with a full toss which Parag hits over point for a four and then takes a single.
Pant makes room to hammer the short wide delivery wide of long-off for a four and takes one down to long-on.
Parag mistimes the fifth ball back to the bowler before he keeps strike with one to long-off from the last ball.
Pathirana to bowl the 19th over. He strikes first ball as Parag is trapped plumb leg before wicket for seven as he misses the whip over midwicket and he walks off without taking the review.
Rinku Singh walks in at No 7 with 11 balls remaining. He gets off the mark with a single to thirdman before Pant pulls the pacer over fine leg for a four.
He flicks the third ball past the fielder at short fine leg for another four as the bat flies out of his hands after hitting the shot.
That boundary also takes India past the 200-run mark, in the 19th over.
Pathirana continues to chip away at the wicket as he bowls Pant, who swings and misses to lose his off-stump. Pant is dismissed after a good innings of 49 from 33 balls, with six fours and a six.
Two wickets for Pathirana in the over, who finishes with 4/40 in his four overs.
20:33 Pandya out for 9; India 4 down
India 181-4 (17 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard
Pathirana to bowl the 17th over. Hardik attempts a wild slog first ball but is beaten all ends up by the slower ball which keeps low.
The next ball is pitched up and this time the right-hand lofts it back over the bowler's head for a four.
But Pathirana gets revenge as he cleans up Hardik with a cracking delivery. The inswinging yorker beats Hardik, who makes room but the ball goes off the pads and crashes into the stumps.
Riyan Parag gets off the mark with a single on the off-side and Pant slices the next ball over the off-side for a four but is beaten last ball as he looks for a big shot over the leg side.
20:26 Suryakumar out for 58; India 3 down
India 172-3 (16 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard
Hasaranga, who took 1/22 in three overs, is back into the attack. Hardik has a close shave as he miscues the lofted shot but it falls safely on the off-side, just short of the fielder rushing in from long-off.
Pant slaps the spinner in the gap through the leg side for two runs before he takes one.
Two more singles as Hasaranga does well to continue just six runs in his final over, to finish with excellent figures of 1/28 in four overs.
Pacer Fernando is back into the attack. He starts with a wide outside the off-stump to Pant, who throws his bat at it but is beaten, before he plays and misses again.
He is beaten again third ball as he attempts a big swing before he finally whips a high full toss over midwicket for a six.
Another full toss which Pant despatches square on the off-side for a four before he gets two runs off the last ball as the fielder does well to save the boundary.
Pant looking to break free after batting cautiously so far, scoring 32 from 26 balls.
20:16 Suryakumar out for 58; India 3 down
India 153-3 (14 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard
Pathirana continues as Suryakumar continues to attack, hitting the first ball straight past mid-off for a four.
However, the pacer brings Sri Lanka relief as he gets Suryakumar leg before wicket with the full inswinging delivery.
The umpire has ruled it out and looks plumb but SKY decides to take a chance with the review.
But the decision stands as the ball has struck in front and going on to hit the stumps.
Suryakumar walks back after a brilliant 58 from 26 balls, with eight fours and two sixes.
Suryakumar and Pant boosted India's total in the middle overs as they added 76 from 43 balls for the third wicket.
New batter Hardik Pandya is beaten as he throws his bat at a full wide delivery. He hits the next in the gap through the covers for two runs to get off the mark before taking a single off the last ball to keep strike.
20:09 Suryakumar slams 22-ball fifty!
India 146-2 (13 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard
Pacer Matheesha Pathirana comes into the attack, to bowl the 12th over. He starts with a dot ball as Suryakumar defends before he takes a single and Pant takes one next ball to raise the 50-run stand for the third wicket.
Pathirana bowls a bouncer down the leg side as Suryakumar misses the pull shot which is ruled a wide.
Pathirana bowls length on the pads and Suryakumar plays his favourite pickup shot over fine leg for a six before the fast bowler sends down a wide on the leg side.
Suryakumar takes two runs to sweeper cover and keeps strike with one from the last ball as Pathirana concedes 13 in his first over.
Theekshana comes back into the attack. Suryakumar whips the first ball in the gap through midwicket to race to his 20th T20I fifty from just 22 balls to make a dream start to his captaincy tenure.
Two balls later, Pant gets a lifeline as his uppish sweep shot is dropped by Asitha Fernando running to his left at deep square leg as Sri Lanka's poor showing on the field continues.
Two more singles as 11 runs come from the 13th over.
19:58 Suryakumar on the attack!
India 122-2 (11 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard
Spinner Kamindu Mendis comes into the attack. He is an interesting spinner and can bowl with both hands.
The ambidextrous spinner bowls left-arm spin to Suryakumar, who smashes the first ball over the off-side for a four.
The next ball is hit to long-on for one and Mendis switches to right-arm off-spin to Pant, who hits the third ball to long-on for another single.
Mendis continues to switch his action and arm to the two batters, conceding singles off the last three balls, giving away nine from his first over.
At the halfway mark, India are well-placed on 111/2 in 10 overs with Suryakumar on 28 from 12 balls and Pant on nine from 11 balls.
Hasaranga to bowl his third over. Suryakumar sweeps the first ball to deep square leg for a single before Pant misses the sweep and is struck on the back leg.
Sri Lanka take their second review. The ball has struck Pant high on the back pad but the ball has pitched outside the line of leg stump which means Sri Lanka lose their second and final review.
Pant gets a single before Suryakumar sweeps the next ball as the fielder at deep square leg dives to his left but fails to stop the ball cleanly to concede a four.
The next ball is swept square and this time Nissanka messes up a regulation stop at deep square leg to concede another four.
Suryakumar has smashed his way to 38 from 16 balls at a strike rate of 237, while Pant has made 10 from 13 balls.
19:48 Confident India race past 100
India 102-2 (9 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard
Hasaranga has been Sri Lanka's best bowler today. Once again the googly deceives Pant as he is beaten on the outside edge pushing forward.
He gets the leading edge off the third ball for a single on the off-side and Suryakumar sweeps the next for another run.
Singles off the last two balls as Hasaranga sends down another good over, conceding just four singles.
India are on course for a huge total as they race past 100, in the ninth over.
19:45 Gill, Jaiswal perish; India 2 down
India 98-2 (8 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard
Madushanka to bowl his third over. Pant clips the first ball off his pads in the gap through midwicket for two runs before he is struck high on the pads next ball by the incoming delivery.
Pant slaps the slower ball to deep point for a single before Suryakumar plays his trademark pick-up shot off his pads for a six over fine leg.
The next ball is a slower ball on the pads as Suryakumar swats it over the fielder at short fine leg for a four.
Suryakumar, on 15, gets a lifeline as the top edges the pull shot but Asitha Fernando at the fine leg fence runs to his right and dives forward but fails to hold on.
That could turn out to be quite costly for Sri Lanka, dropping a player of the class of Suryakumar.
19:38 Gill, Jaiswal perish; India 2 down
India 81-2 (7 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard
Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga comes into the attack after the Powerplay.
He strikes first ball with a beauty, getting rid of the dangerous Jaiswal. The googly deceives Jaiswal all ends up as he plays for the turn and wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis whips off the bails in a flash and starts celebrating.
Jaiswal is dismissed after a brilliant 40 from 21 balls as Sri Lanka bounce back with wickets off successive balls.
Rishabh Pant clips the first ball off his pads for a single to get off the mark and captain Suryakumar Yadav does the same next ball for his first run.
Pant picks another run before Hasaranga nearly gets another wicket. Suryakumar pushes forward but gets the edge as the spinner gets some slight turn as it flies through the vacant slip region for a four.
19:30 Gill out for 34; India lose 1st wkt
India 74-1 (6 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard
Theekshana, who went for 14 runs in his opening over, continues with the ball.
He keeps things tight this time around as singles come from the first three balls followed by a dot ball to Jaiswal, who can only defend the yorker.
However, Theekshana sends down an overpitched delivery which Jaiswal drives straight down the ground past mid-off for a four and then takes one.
Left-arm pacer Madushanka back into the attack to bowl the final over of Powerplay.
Jaiswal can't make most of the pull shot, getting a single to deep square leg.
Gill lofts the next ball straight down the ground for a four before he flicks the next over mid-on for another boundary.
Madushanka continues to leak runs. Gill takes full toll of the short ball, pulling it over midwicket for a six.
However, the bowler has the last laugh. Gill mistimes the lofted shot off the slower ball and the fielder takes a sharp catch at mid-on.
Gill walks back after a quickfire 34 from 16 balls, as he put on 74 runs for the opening wicket with Jaiswal from six overs.
19:22 Jaiswal, Gill give India flying start
India 51-0 (4 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard
Pacer Fernando continues. He tries the knuckle ball but ends up giving too much width as Gill eases it past short thirdman for a four.
Two balls later, Gill again makes most as he pulls the short ball through square leg for another boundary and then takes one.
Jaiswal misses out as he glances the full delivery off his pads but straight to the fielder at short fine leg.
Fernando tries the slower bouncer but Jaiswal picks it early, pulling it high over midwicket to end the over with a six.
15 runs from the over as India race past the 50-run mark in the fourth over.
Jaiswal has been brutal with the bat, smashing 33 from 15 balls while Gill has stroked 18 from nine balls.
19:18 Jaiswal, Gill give India flying start
India 36-0 (3 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard
Pace bowler Ashita Fernando from other end. Jaiswal swipes at the first ball getting a thick inside edge which narrowly misses the stumps and beats the wicketkeeper to his right for a four.
The left-hander is beaten next ball as he plays away from his body looking to smash it square on the off-side.
Jaiswal keeps out the next two balls before he makes most of some width, hitting the pacer through the covers for another four and keeps strike with one from the last ball.
Spin introduced as Maheesh Theekshana comes into the attack. Jaiswal immediately targets the spinner as he lofts the first ball over long-off for a six.
He gets a big stride across and sweeps the second ball through fine leg for a four to race to 24 from 10 balls.
Jaiswal clips the third ball in the gap through square leg for two runs followed by a single in the same region.
Gill happy to turn the strike over with a quiet single on the leg side with soft hands.
Jaiswal misses the sweep last ball and is struck on the pads by a full delivery. The leg before shout is turned down before Sri Lanka take the review.
The ball tracker shows that the ball is going on to miss the off-stump as Sri Lanka lose the review.
19:05 India off to a flying start vs SL
India 13-0 (1 ov) vs SL | Scorecard
Left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka to open the bowling for hosts Sri Lanka, while Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill are the two openers for India.
The first ball is short and down the leg side as Jaiswal pulls it comfortably over fine leg to get off the mark in confident fashion, with a boundary and taps the next ball for a single.
Gill drives the next to the fielder in the covers and does the same next ball.
Short and wide from the pacer as Gill cuts it past point to get off the mark with a four.
The last ball is again a half-tracker and Gill again eases it past the fielder at point for back to back fours.
India off to a quick start with three fours in the opening over.
18:41 Parag included ahead of Samson
A surprise move from the Indians as Riyan Parag is included ahead of the experienced Sanju Samson in the middle order. He will also be expected to send down a few overs of part-time leg spin.
Rinku Singh is included in the lower order as Shivam Dube misses out.
Check out the playing XIs:
Sri Lanka: Charith Asalanka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (w/k), Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka.
India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (w/k), Riyan Parag, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.
18:35 SL win toss; elect to bowl vs India
Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka has won the toss and elected to bowl against India in the first T20 International in Pallekele on Saturday.
"It is a good pitch and we want to see how it goes. We will go in with a 6-5 combination," said Asalanka at the toss.
Meanwhile, India's new captain Suryakumar Yadav has no problems batting first on a good pitch.
He states that Sanju Samson has been left out along with Shivam Dube, Khaleel Ahmed and Washington Sundar.
18:24 World champions India eye winning start in SL
Welcome to the coverage of the first T20 International between Sri Lanka and India in Pallekele on Saturday.
India's newly-forged coach-captain combination of Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav will look to make instant impact against a Sri Lankan team in disarray in the series opener.
Two-time World Cup winner Gambhir is now at the helm of the ship as India's head coach while the T20I reigns have been handed over to one of the best batters in the format, Suryakumar.
Suryakumar's elevation came as a slight surprise given he leapfrogged Hardik Pandya for the job. The selectors also ignored his comparative lack of experience as captain.
The next T20 World Cup, to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka in 2026, gives the selectors plenty of time to rebuild the side which has also suffered a severe talent drain.
The overhaul follows the World Cup triumph last month and T20I retirements of seasoned campaigners Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja.
With the side in transition, young batting gun and vice-captain in the white-ball formats, Shubman Gill sees this as an opportunity to cement his place and others like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh and even Riyan Parag will look to do the same.
While the like-for-like replacement Axar Patel fits in perfectly for Jadeja in the eleven, India also have riches in the all-round department given Pandya, Shivam Dube and an in-form Washington Sundar are also available.
Jasprit Bumrah has been deservingly rested from this tour which gives the pair of Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj to make the most of favourable conditions at the Pallekele International Stadium, where the surface tends to assist pace and bounce.
On the same metric, Sri Lanka will feel depleted since two of their experienced bowlers Dushmantha Chameera (bronchitis and respiratory infection) and slingy Nuwan Thushara (broken finger) have been ruled out.
The hosts have added Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka, who took a five-wicket haul the last time he played against India in the ODI World Cup last year, as replacements.
Enterprising batter Charith Asalanka has been handed over the captaincy as Sri Lanka, like India, foray in uncharted waters looking to brighten their fortunes.
Playing at home, Sri Lanka should feel confident about turning the tide given the richness of talent in the ranks, which includes a combative former skipper Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis and the experienced Dinesh Chandimal.
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