The India Cricket Team is set for a new era! The legends of the game, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli decided to hang their boots after winning the T20 World Cup at Barbados. And now under new skipper Suryakumar Yadav, a young Team India is ready to take on Sri Lanka in a 3-match T20I series.
No, Hardik Pandya won’t be leading the charge, in fact it will be SKY who is the skipper while young Shubman Gill will be serving as the deputy. As India is set to travel to the Emerald Isles, the Men in Blue boasts of having a squad filled with both youth and experience.
In fact, the IND vs SL would be the first series under new India head coach Gautam Gambhir. Interestingly, the absence of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja has opened 3 different spots in the team.
Shubman Gill regains opening spot
Shubman Gill will get his opening spot back in the team. The young vice-captain will have another talented youngster to partner him in the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal. The right-left handed combination will work wonders in Sri Lanka, given how the pitches will work in favour of the batters.
Destructive batter and keeper Rishabh Pant will retain his number 3 spot. The southpaw was given a new place in the T20 World Cup and it is safe to say that he will flourish in his new batting position. And that means, there will be no Sanju Samson in India Playing XI.
Mr 360 of the modern day, Suryakumar Yadav will play at his normal spot in number 4. His ability to hit the balls out of the park from ball 1 is a massive advantage for the Men in Blue. If the top order fails, SKY can take a slow route while if he is needed to score runs in a flurry, he can easily smash boundaries all across the park.
Rinku Singh returns
Another southpaw and India’s arguably best finisher in recent times, Rinku Singh takes the number 5 spot. He will partner ace-allrounder Hardik Pandya who would dearly love to play the role of an achor. Down the order, India has batting options in 7 and 8 in the form of Axar Patel and Washington Sundar.
The duo can bat well and score much-needed runs when their team demands the same from them. And finally, comes the two pacers in the form of Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj. Ravi Bishnoi will operate as the lone specialised spinner in the team.
Team India head into the series with 3 pacers (Arshdeep, Siraj and Hardik). They also will have the likes of three able spinners: Bishnoi, Axar, and Washington. The slow sub-continental pitches in Sri Lanka will favour the spinners who would be eager to weave their magic.
Team India Predicted Playing XI for Sri Lanka Series
1. Shubman Gill
2. Yashasvi Jaiswal
3. Rishabh Pant (WK)
4. Suryakumar Yadav (C)
5. Rinku Singh
6. Hardik Pandya
7. Axar Patel
8. Washington Sundar
9. Arshdeep Singh
10. Ravi Bishnoi
11. Mohammed Siraj
India T20I squad for SL series
Suryakumar Yadav (c), Ꮪhubman Gill (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (WK), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj.
