3 things to look forward to in the 2nd India vs Sri Lanka T20I ft. Hardik Pandya's comeback
Less than 24 hours after India beat Sri Lanka by 43 runs in the series opener in Pallekele, the two teams are gearing up to face off again. The second T20I will be held on Sunday, July 28, and a win for the visitors will seal the rubber in their favor.
The first T20I was an enthralling affair, with India's batting pyrotechnics taking them to an imposing 213. Sri Lanka's openers matched their counterparts shot for shot, but it wasn't enough as the middle order wilted under the pressure of the asking rate.
While the margin of victory was convincing, the Men in Blue will want to finetune their plans in their new era. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will have an eye on pulling level and forcing a decider.
On that note, here are three things to look forward to in the second T20I between India and Sri Lanka.
#3 Hardik Pandya finds himself needing to make another comeback
Only a month ago, Hardik Pandya bounced back from a difficult Indian Premier League campaign to play a starring role for the Men in Blue in their run to the 2024 T20 World Cup title. That seemed set to signal a turnaround in his fortunes, but he's facing another challenge.
Having been removed from captaincy duties, Hardik might be licking his wounds. He is someone who likes being at the helm, and Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill have seemingly leapfrogged him in the pecking order.
Hardik also dished out an unimpressive performance in the first T20I as he bagged a single-digit score and leaked runs in four wicketless overs. The all-rounder is a world-class player who doesn't have much to prove, but he will be itching to continue showing his value to the side across departments.
Keep an eye out on Hardik in the second T20I - assuming, of course, that he isn't rested for the back-to-back.
#2 Can Matheesha Pathirana and Wanindu Hasaranga find some support?
Matheesha Pathirana and Wanindu Hasaranga were Sri Lanka's standout bowlers in the first T20I. While Pathirana got the ball to nip around in the back half and picked up four wickets for his troubles, Hasaranga sent down a threatening spell in the middle overs.
Can Pathirana and Hasaranga, who are expected to carry the understaffed bowling attack, find some support on Sunday? On their day, Dilshan Madushanka and Maheesh Theekshana are match-winners. Asitha Fernando, meanwhile, is a smart operator.
India have a stacked batting order, and it'll be interesting to see if Sri Lanka's bowlers can click as a unit. Speaking of the batting order...
#1 India's middle-order questions could be answered
Riyan Parag batted at No. 6, below Hardik Pandya. Rinku Singh batted at No. 7 and came to the crease with one ball to go in the penultimate over. Before that, Rishabh Pant ate up nearly the entirety of the middle overs and barely found the middle of his bat.
Despite their 43-run win, India have questions to answer in the middle order. Pant can't afford to do what he's been doing over the last two months, while Parag and Rinku need to be put in positions where they can succeed.
Gautam Gambhir will likely be aware of these problems, and a fix can be expected soon. Will India change their plans in the second T20I?