India vs Sri Lanka 2016: Five takeaways from India vs Sri Lanka T20I series

This slideshow depicts the major takeaways from the recent India-Sri Lanka Twenty20 series, which India eventually won by a 2-1 margin. India are clear favourites heading into the Asia Cup and the subsequent World Twenty20 while defending champions Sri Lanka, hindered by injuries to key players and indifferent performances from others don’t even look like competing. But despite finding a balanced side, India have a few issues which they will look to rectify in the coming weeks.

#1 India find their strike bowler

Nehra has, at 36, found his niche as India’s strike bowler in the shortest format

Twenty20 cricket with its fast pace, high standards on the field, and unreasonably high strike rate demands, was thought, initially, to be exclusively a young man’s game. 

But over the years, the T20 format has seen a number of cricketers ply their trade in the format across the world like Brad Hogg, Chris Gayle, Shane Watson, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Brad Hodge among others.

International teams and selectors have understood that in a format so skewed in favour of the batsmen, and as unpredictable as it is, experienced campaigners are crucial. 

Dilhara Fernando, Ashish Nehra and Umar Gul have re-emerged as new-ball bowlers for their respective nations in the last few months. 

Nehra, especially, has been extremely impressive with the new ball taking wickets up front in almost every match India played against Australia and Sri Lanka at home. The 36-year-old is now viewed as a T20 specialist for India, and the World T20 at home could be a fitting farewell for one of India’s most under-rated pace bowlers of the last decade.