India Player Ratings from 2nd T20I vs Sri Lanka as Men in Blue fall short in thriller despite SKY, Axar heroics

Team India fell short in a thrilling second T20I against Sri Lanka as the visitors leveled the series with a 16-run win at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Thursday, January 5.

India won the toss and elected to field despite statistics at the venue suggesting the alternative. Sri Lanka put on 206/6 on the back of Dasun Shanaka's stunning blitz before a flurry of powerplay wickets put them ahead in the second innings. The visitors eventually got over the line in the final over.

Here are India's player ratings from their win over Sri Lanka in the second T20I.

IND vs SL 2022: Malik takes 3 as Axar's all-round show for Team India goes in vain

FIFTY for @akshar2026 - his first in T20Is 👏👏

A 20-ball half-century ⚡️ ⚡️

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#TeamIndia | #INDvSL https://t.co/Pgiqm0SUe3

Ishan Kishan: 2/10

Kishan attempted a heave across the line and was castled for just two runs. His shot selection left a lot to be desired.

Shubman Gill: 3/10

Like Kishan, Gill was dismissed playing an imprudent pull off a ball that wasn't there for the shot. He holed out in the circle and missed out on another opportunity to prove his worth in T20I cricket.

Suryakumar Yadav: 7.5/10

SKY struggled to get going at the start of his innings but he soon found his mojo and notched up another T20I fifty. He struck three fours and as many sixes, although he was back in the hut just after reaching the milestone.

Rahul Tripathi: 4/10

Tripathi, on debut, was electric on the field. With the bat, though, he nicked off for just five runs despite dancing down and smacking his first ball in international cricket for four.

Hardik Pandya: 4/10

Hardik had an indifferent outing in the second T20I. He bowled two overs for 13 runs and scored 12 before being caught-behind. The skipper suffered his first loss at the helm of Team India.

Deepak Hooda: 2/10

Hooda, batting at No. 6 once again, couldn't make it count this time. Wanindu Hasaranga exacted his revenge over the batter, who went for a pull and holed out in the deep.

Axar Patel: 9.5/10

Axar was the star of the show in Pune. He was India's most economical bowler, conceding only 24 runs while picking up the wickets of Pathum Nissanka and Dhananjaya de Silva. The southpaw also recorded his maiden T20I fifty, with his stunning 65 off 31 nearly taking the Men in Blue to a victory.

Arshdeep Singh: 0/10

Returning to the playing XI, Arshdeep had a miserable outing. He delivered five no-balls, a truly inexcusable event in itself, on top of which he leaked 37 runs in two overs.

Umran Malik: 8/10

Malik went for 48 runs in his spell, with his solitary over at the death proving expensive. However, his pace and skill were on full display in Pune as he returned three memorable wickets. The fast bowler is developing into a lethal weapon.

Shivam Mavi: 4/10

In only two games, Mavi has experienced the highs and lows of international cricket. He leaked 53 runs in his four overs and was taken to the cleaners at the death. The youngster needs to refine his tools to be successful at this level, although he showed glimpses of his batting ability with a quickfire 26.

Yuzvendra Chahal: 6.5/10

Chahal's first three overs defied the odds as they were economical and also yielded the wicket of the in-form Kusal Mendis. Normal service resumed in the fourth, though, as Charith Asalanka struck the leg-spinner for two sixes. Despite him being one of India's better bowlers on the night, he just doesn't inspire confidence anymore.