Watch: Hardik Pandya and Co. undergo headshot session ahead of Team India's 1st T20I against Sri Lanka
The Hardik Pandya-led Team India underwent a headshot session on Tuesday, January 3, ahead of the first T20I against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai later in the day.
Sharing a video of the T20I squad on Twitter, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) captioned the post:
“Lights, Camera, Action. Scenes from Team India’s headshot session ahead of the T20I series.”
Lights 💡
Camera 📸
Action ⏳
Scenes from #TeamIndia's headshots session ahead of the T20I series 👌 👌
#INDvSL | @mastercardindia https://t.co/awWGh4eVZh
After clinching the T20I series 1-0 against New Zealand last year, Pandya will look to ensure that India continue their good form at home. The onus will be on the youngsters to deliver in the absence of big players – Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul – who didn’t find a place in the T20I squad.
Interestingly, Kohli was dropped despite emerging as the highest run-scorer in the T20 World Cup with 296 runs in six games. Meanwhile, openers Rohit and Rahul failed to deliver at the tournament, managing 116 and 128 runs, respectively, in six matches.
In Rahul's absence, Suryakumar Yadav has been named the vice-captain.
Wasim Jaffer picks Team India's playing XI for 1st T20I against Sri Lanka
Former cricketer Wasim Jaffer, meanwhile, has shared his playing XI for Team India's first T20I against Sri Lanka. He wants Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan to fill the shoes of Rohit and Rahul.
Yadav and Sanju Samson form a formidable middle order, while all-rounders Pandya and Deepak Hooda are expected to play the role of finishers.
Jaffer’s XI also boasts quality spin all-rounders in the form of Axar Patel and Washington Sundar. The veteran has also picked all-rounder Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal and Arshdeep Singh.
My playing XI for tomorrow:
1. Gill
2. Ishan (wk)
3. SKY
4. Sanju
5. Hardik (c)
6. Hooda
7. Axar
8. Sundar
9. Harshal
10. Chahal
11. Arshdeep
What's yours? #INDvSL
For the uninitiated, Sri Lanka beat India by six wickets when they faced off in the Asia Cup 2022. Hardik Pandya and Co. will look to avenge the defeat and start the T20I series and the new year on a positive note.
India’s squad for Sri Lanka T20Is: Hardik Pandya (Captain), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (VC), Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, and Mukesh Kumar.