Pallekele (Sri Lanka): India's newly-forged coach-captain combination of Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav will look to make an instant impact against a Sri Lankan team in disarray when the familiar South Asian rivals face off in a limited-overs series, starting with three T20Is, here on Saturday. Two-time World Cup winner Gambhir is now at the helm of the ship as India's head coach while the T20I reigns have been handed over to one of the best batters in the format, Suryakumar.
Gambhir, who has built his coaching reputation in the corridors of IPL with three title wins for Kolkata Knight Riders twice as captain and once as mentor succeeds the immensely popular Rahul Dravid. The new coach has his task cut out given that the team under his predecessor reached the final in each of the ICC events in their respective last editions.
Gambhir's tenacity as well as his intense approach will make him a different coach to work alongside for the players, who will also have to learn the ways of the new T20I skipper Suryakumar. Suryakumar's elevation came as a slight surprise given he leapfrogged Hardik Pandya for the job. The selectors also ignored his comparative lack of experience as captain.
Ajit Agarkar and Co. made it clear that they wanted a captain who was on the park "more often than not" and went by "dressing room feedback" while hitting the reset button on the T20I side. The next T20 World Cup, to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka in 2026, gives the selectors plenty of time to rebuild the side which has also suffered a severe talent drain. The overhaul follows the World Cup triumph last month and T20I retirements of seasoned campaigners Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja.
With the side in transition, young batting gun and vice-captain in the white-ball formats, Shubman Gill sees this as an opportunity to cement his place and others like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh and even Riyan Parag will look to do the same. While the like-for-like replacement Axar Patel fits in perfectly for Jadeja in the eleven, India also have riches in the all-round department given Pandya, Shivam Dube and an in-form Washington Sundar are also available.
Jasprit Bumrah has been deservingly rested from this tour which gives the pair of Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj to make the most of favourable conditions at the Pallekele International Stadium, where the surface tends to assist pace and bounce. On the same metric, Sri Lanka will feel depleted since two of their experienced bowlers Dushmantha Chameera (bronchitis and respiratory infection) and slingy Nuwan Thushara (broken finger) have been ruled out.
The hosts have added Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka, who took a five the last time India and Sri Lanka played in the ODI World Cup, as replacements. The 2014 T20 World Cup winners, Sri Lanka are wading through turbulent times following their first-round exit from the last edition. Skipper Wanindu Hasaranga, coach Chris Silverwood and consultant coach Mahela Jayawardene tendered their resignations after the debacle in the Americas.
Sri Lanka have appointed 'Matara Marauder' Sanath Jayasuriya as interim coach and he has urged his side to make the most of India's lack of experienced stars but knows well that his team is desperately short on solid performances. The Sri Lankan team of the current does not inspire confidence given their frailties across departments despite Jayasuriya's assessment that this group will turn around the fortunes in the next two years.
Enterprising batter Charith Asalanka has been handed over the captaincy as Sri Lanka, like India, foray in uncharted waters looking to brighten their fortunes. Playing at home, Sri Lanka should feel confident about turning the tide given the richness of talent in the ranks, which includes a combative former skipper Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis and the experienced Dinesh Chandimal.
Teams:
India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, 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.
Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Binura Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Welalage.
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