India's strongest playing XI for the Sri Lanka T20I series
Having beaten Zimbabwe 4-1 with a second-string squad, India are gearing up for their next T20I assignment against Sri Lanka. The BCCI has announced a 15-man squad for the rubber, which will commence later this month in Pallekele.
Suryakumar Yadav has been announced as the skipper of the side ahead of Hardik Pandya, who has even lost out on vice-captaincy to Shubman Gill. India have a few options in the middle order and the bowling department.
T20I squad: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj.
What will their best side look like? Here is India's strongest playing XI for the Sri Lanka T20I series.
Openers: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal
Without Abhishek Sharma or any other backup opener in the mix, India will need to open with Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal against Sri Lanka. That isn't the worst thing, with the young duo all set to become the side's best bet at the top of the order in the shortest format. Gill and Jaiswal have immense talent and did well in Zimbabwe recently.
Middle order: Sanju Samson (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar
Sanju Samson can bat in a variety of roles, but No. 3 seems best suited to him. Although India preferred Rishabh Pant in that spot during the 2024 T20 World Cup, Samson should ideally be ahead of him in the pecking order. Suryakumar Yadav could thus be pushed down to No. 4.
Shivam Dube is another player who featured throughout the T20 World Cup, but will India need him against Sri Lanka? Their strongest XI might not feature the left-handed hitter, who doesn't have any spots to occupy in the top four and might not have much of a role with the ball either.
Hardik Pandya could thus slot in at No. 5, where he can take on spin if he faces any. Rinku Singh, as the designated finisher, should ideally pip Dube and Pant to a spot in the XI.
Considering the conditions they are likely to encounter, India should field both spin-bowling all-rounders in tandem - Axar Patel, who played a key role in their run to the title in the T20 World Cup, and Washington Sundar, who was the Player of the Series against Zimbabwe.
Riyan Parag is an immensely talented player, but he might not make the strongest XI as of now.
Lower order: Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh
Ravi Bishnoi is the only specialist spinner in the squad and easily makes the grade at No. 9, with Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj being the clear frontrunners to lead the pace attack. Khaleel Ahmed will serve as their backup.