IND vs SL 3rd T20: Team India – India squandered a golden chance to seal the T20 series against Sri Lanka in the second match. With the series tied 1-1, skipper Hardik Pandya needs to sort out three big issues before the Rajkot IND vs SL T20I on Saturday, January 7. India’s team combinations came under the scanner, with a few players like Arshdeep Singh, Shubman Gill, and Rahul Tripathi failing in Pune. Hardik has a big headache ahead of the third T20 to whether to persist with the two youngsters or bring in other players. Follow IND vs SL Live Updates with InsideSport.IN.
Arshdeep had a nightmarish outing in the second T20I as he conceded 37 runs in two overs and bowled five no-balls. The poor show from the left-arm pacer has triggered a debate that whether he is fully fit. Gill failed to get going in the second match with yet another low score. Is he fit as an opener in the T20 format?
IND vs SL 3RD T20: Before SERIES Decider vs SriLanka on Saturday, Hardik Pandya led India needs to sort 3 BIG issues: Check OUT
IND vs SL: Hardik Pandya in a big dilemma, set to bring in changes? Or go with the same combinations
India will stick to the ploy of playing three pacers, but the question is will Arshdeep be the third fast bowler? The left-arm pacer was brought in place of Harshal Patel, but he failed to pick wickets and had issues bowling no balls. The PBKS bowler also did not bowl his quota of four overs. Pandya has the option to go back to Harshal for the series decider in Rajkot. The right-arm pacer has variations and is a bankable option at death.
The second huge concern is Shubman Gill, who failed to get going in two matches. The GT opener has scores of 7, and 5 in the two matches, and has got out in the power play. Pressure is huge on Ishan Kishan to get starts up front. Gill was drafted straight into the playing XI, owing to blitz in ODI and Test formats. The Punjab opener likes to get his eye in before playing his shots. In the two T20Is, he has yet to settle in. With series win at stake, Hardik can try Ruturaj Gaikwad as n opener at the top.
The Maharashtra opener is in good form and topped the run-scoring charts of his team Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq tournaments.
IND vs SL 3RD T20: Before SERIES Decider vs SriLanka on Saturday, Hardik Pandya led India needs to sort 3 BIG issues: Check OUT
The third huge concern Pandya is how to stop Dasun Shanaka. The Lankan skipper is proving to be a huge thorn in the flesh for India. In the second T20I, Shanaka struck a game-changing 50 off just 21 balls and helped the side reach 200. 47*(19) 74*(38) 33*(18) 45(27) 56*(22). These are the last five scores Shanka has registered against India. The all-rounder has brought his A game against India, and Pandya needs to come up with a big plan to stop the Lankan by playing yet another big knock in Rajkot.
