3 things to look forward to in the 1st India vs Sri Lanka T20I ft. Shubman Gill & Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top
India will lock horns with Sri Lanka in a three-match T20I series, with the opening game scheduled in Pallekele on Saturday, July 27. The rubber will see the Men in Blue play a (mostly) full-strength side for the first time since the 2024 T20 World Cup final.
Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav are missing, but all of India's other regular T20I stars will be seen in action during the assignment. Suryakumar Yadav will assume leadership of the side, which has a few fresh faces itching to nail down their respective spots.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are going through a period of transition. While their head-to-head record against their northern neighbors hasn't been great lately, they have plenty of talent in their ranks and should be able to put up a fight.
On that note, here are three things to look forward to in the first T20I between India and Sri Lanka.
#3 Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal are all set to take over the mantle
In the post-Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli era, India have settled on Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal to be their first-choice opening combination. Abhishek Sharma, who smashed a century against Zimbabwe before being moved into the middle order, hasn't been picked for this series.
Fans of India, and world cricket in general, will see Gill and Jaiswal take up their first assignment as the first-choice opening partnership. The duo are immensely talented and can be expected to produce some pyrotechnics at the top of the order.
Gill has spoken about his dissatisfaction with his T20I batting displays, while Jaiswal has rarely failed to deliver at the international level. With contrasting track records but similar aspirations, the young pairing will be fun to watch.
#2 Charith Asalanka has taken over the reins of Sri Lanka
After leading the Jaffna Kings to the 2024 Lanka Premier League title, Charith Asalanka will captain Sri Lanka against India. He has led the nation before but will take up his first assignment as the full-time skipper, with Wanindu Hasaranga being replaced at the helm.
Asalanka has experience to call upon. Apart from Hasaranga, he can pick the brains of Dasun Shanaka and Kusal Mendis, who have led Sri Lanka before. However, he will be the main man entrusted with the responsibility of bringing Sri Lankan cricket back to the forefront of the international stage.
Having achieved captaincy success recently, can Asalanka take it one step further against a world-class team?
#1 India have selection decisions to make under the new management
Gautam Gambhir and the new coaches around him have some tough calls to make. Will they stick with the roadmap laid out by the previous management? Or will they be bold with their decision-making and switch things up?
Rishabh Pant vs Sanju Samson is a hot topic, especially with the No. 3 spot being up for grabs. Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh and Riyan Parag are locked in a battle for a spot in the middle order as well.
That will mean that India will need to choose between having a long batting lineup and having enough bowling options, a dilemma that has plagued them over the years. The first T20I against Sri Lanka will be a clear indication of the direction the think tank intends to take.