India Player Ratings for 1st T20I vs Sri Lanka as Kishan, Shreyas help Men in Blue hammer visitors
Led by fifties from Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer, India hammered Sri Lanka by 62 runs in the first T20I of the three-match series on Thursday, February 24 in Lucknow.
After being put into bat by the visitors, Rohit Sharma and Kishan made the most of the powerplay. Shreyas' heroics at the death helped the Men in Blue set a 200-run target for Sri Lanka, who were never in the hunt and managed only 137 in their 20 overs.
Here are India's player ratings from the first T20I against Sri Lanka.
India vs Sri Lanka 1st T20I: Rohit's juggernaut rolls on in Lucknow
Ishan Kishan: 9/10
After an indifferent series against the West Indies, Kishan struck form in the first T20I to smash 89 off 56 balls. The southpaw was aided by some indifferent bowling and fielding but struck 10 fours and three sixes in a much-needed innings, one that showed how dangerous he can be on his day.
Rohit Sharma: 8/10
Rohit supported Kishan well and capitalized on everything in his arc. He hit 44 off 32, a knock that featured two fours and a six. In the second innings, the skipper ensured that the team's secondary bowling options received a good share of overs with the match already in the bag.
Shreyas Iyer: 8/10
Shreyas started very slowly after coming in with India in a commanding position as only 11 runs came off his first 10 balls. But the right-hander, batting at No. 3, soon stepped on the pedal, smashing five fours and two sixes in an unbeaten 28-ball 57. He dropped a straightforward catch in the sixth over to hand Charith Asalanka a reprieve.
Deepak Hooda: 4/10
Making his T20I debut, Hooda didn't need to bat and sent down three overs that went for 24 runs.
Sanju Samson: 5/10
Making his return to the side, Samson didn't spend any time at the crease and receives a standard rating.
Venkatesh Iyer: 6/10
Iyer's finishing ability wasn't needed in the first T20I as Ravindra Jadeja was sent in at No. 4 and had a mixed day on the field. He dropped a sitter in the powerplay and then scalped two wickets before being hammered for 21 runs in his third and final over.
Ravindra Jadeja: 7/10
Jadeja faced only four balls in a 44-run partnership with Shreyas as the right-hander farmed the strike. He sent down four decent overs that went for 28 and picked up the wicket of Dinesh Chandimal. The all-rounder's presence appears to add a great sense of balance to the Indian T20I side.
Harshal Patel: 7/10
Harshal was virtually unplayable in the two overs he bowled as the slow surface in Lucknow aided his concoction of cutters and slower balls.
Jasprit Bumrah: 6.5/10
Bumrah showed his full repertoire in the powerplay, bowling off-cutters and yorkers alongside pacy bouncers. His three wicketless overs went for 19 runs, but the value he adds to India's bowling attack cannot be understated.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 8/10
Bhuvneshwar bowled an excellent spell in the powerplay, getting the ball to move both ways and constantly asking questions of the Sri Lankan batters. He dismissed both openers.
Yuzvendra Chahal: 8/10
Chahal was superb in the first T20I as he consistently created wicket-taking opportunities. He bowled three overs for 11 runs and dismissed Sri Lanka's captain to become India's leading wicket-taker in T20I cricket.