SL vs IND : Sri Lanka(SL) Battle With Players Illness As They Flag Off New Era Alongside Dominant India(IND) In T20I Series

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India(IND) to play a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka (SL) slated to begin July 27. For the Men in Blue, this series is the beginning of a new era under the leadership of head coach Gautam Gambhir. India(IND) will tour Sri Lanka(SL) for a three-match T20I series scheduled to begin on July 27, 2024. All three matches will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.

For all practical purposes, given that India (IND) and Sri Lanka(SL) don’t have to go through the qualification route by virtue of being co-hosts of the next edition of the T20 World Cup, this series should serve as nothing but the start of a long trial for the mega tournament. With two ICC tournaments in two different formats scheduled before the next T20 World Cup, it’s likely that the focus could marginally shift from the shortest format for a brief while.

SL vs IND : Previous Performances

India (IND) to play a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka (SL) slated to begin July 27. For the Men in Blue, this series is the beginning of a new era under the leadership of head coach Gautam Gambhir. The former opener will have a tough task of living up to the high standards set by his predecessors. BCCI appointed Suryakumar Yadav as the T20I skipper with Shubman Gill being his deputy. Under Gill, India are coming off a 4-1 T20I series win against Zimbabwe.

For hosts Sri Lanka, the players are coming fresh from the Lanka Premier League. For the island nation, there have been some changes in leadership with former opener Sanath Jayasuriya being appointed as the interim head coach. Meanwhile, After the island nation’s poor show in the T20 World Cup 2024, Wanindu Hasaranga stepped down from the captaincy duties and the board handed Charith Asalanka the responsibility.

SL vs IND : Head to Head

Matches 29
Won by Sri Lanka 09
Won by India 19
No Result 01
First-ever Fixture 10 February, 2009
Most-recent Fixture 07 January, 2023

SL vs IND : Pitch Report

The Pallekele stadium pitch tends to favour batters, particularly in the evening when the floodlights are on, as the ball travels more easily off the bat. However, as the match progresses, bowlers who can vary their pace become increasingly effective. Teams batting first typically aim for around 170 runs, considered a competitive total at this venue. Despite this, the presence of dew in evening matches often leads teams to prefer chasing, as it can make bowling more challenging later in the game.

In the LPL, the average first-innings total in Pallekele across five matches was 185. During those games, spinners fared much better, registering an economy of 7.64, as compared to fast bowlers, who went for 10.58 runs per over. There is a forecast for rain during the daytime but not in the evening. So the match should be largely unaffected.

The weather is expected to be pleasant but sultry. Once a venue of high scores – and also one of the highest ever in T20Is – Pallekele hasn’t hosted too many T20Is in recent years. However, it would be a surprise if the Saturday night contest wouldn’t be another high-scoring encounter.

SL vs IND : Big Picture New beginnings for Sri Lanka and India

It will be the start of a new T20I era for both India and Sri Lanka when they come face-to-face in Pallekele on Saturday. For India, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja have retired from the format and Suryakumar Yadav has been named the new captain. Sri Lanka have moved on from Angelo Mathews, while Charith Asalanka has replaced Wanindu Hasaranga at the helm. Both teams have a new head coach as well. India have got Gautam Gambhir and Sri Lanka Sanath Jayasuriya, the latter in an interim capacity, though.

While it is a new beginning for both teams, their starting points could not have been more different. India recently ended their long-awaited ICC trophy drought by winning the 2024 T20 World Cup, a tournament where Sri Lanka were knocked out in the first round. After that, India sent a second-string side to Zimbabwe where they won the five-match T20I series 4-1. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan players were busy with the Lanka Premier League where Asalanka led Jaffna Kings to the title.

Both Asalanka and Suryakumar have previously led their national sides. Asalanka in two T20Is against Bangladesh earlier this year and Suryakumar in seven T20Is in late 2023 against Australia and South Africa.

India are still not at full strength for this series, though. Jasprit Bumrah, arguably the best bowler in the world right now, has been rested. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have been dealt a few blows even before the start of the series. First, they lost Dushmantha Chameera (bronchitis), then Nuwan Thushara (broken finger), and now Binura Fernando, who has been hospitalized with a chest infection. There is a flu going around their camp, forcing them to call up allrounder Ramesh Mendis as a standby.

SL vs IND : Stats and trivia: India’s dominance

  • Sri Lanka have beaten India only once in a bilateral T20I series, when they won 2-1 at home in 2021.
  • India have won 15 out of 16 T20Is they have played this year. Their only defeat came against Zimbabwe earlier this month.
  • Suryakumar (133) is currently fifth on the list of most sixes in T20Is. Five more sixes and he will be third.
  • All the eight batters picked in the Indian squad boast of a strike rate above 140 in T20s in 2024
  • In T20Is, since January 2023, Arshdeep Singh and Maheesh Theekshana have conceded less than 7 runs and over in Powerplays
  • Wanindu Hasaranga has dismissed Sanju Samson thrice in 11 balls and conceded only two runs

SL vs IND : Team News and Playing 11 for SL and IND

Sri Lanka

Player availability: Dushmanta Chameera and Nuwan Thushara were ruled out of the series, with Sri Lanka bringing in Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madhushanka in their place. Binura Fernando was hospitalized on the eve of the game due to a chest infection and Ramesh Mendis was brought into the squad as a standby player. The hosts also recalled the veteran duo of Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Perera at the back of their solid performances in the recently-concluded Lanka Premier League.

Tactics & Matchups: Dasun Shanaka could come in handy against Hardik Pandya. The medium pacer has dismissed the hard-hitting Indian batter thrice in 14 balls in T20Is, conceding only 13 runs against him.

SL Playing XI : Avishka Fernando, Charith Asalanka (C), Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Mendis (WK), Pathum Nissanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dasun Shanaka, Matheesha Pathirana, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Binura Fernando.

India

Player availability: India have rested Jasprit Bumrah and dropped Yuzvendra Chahal from those who were a part of the World Cup-winning squad. Both weren’t a part of the second-string side that toured Zimbabwe recently either.

Tactics & Matchups: Washington Sundar could be brought on against Kusal Perera. The offie has had an advantage over the hard-hitting southpaw, having dismissed him thrice in 30 balls, and conceding at less than run-a-ball.

IND Playing XI : Shubman Gill, Yashaswi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj.

SL vs IND Fantasy XI : Yashaswi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Rishabh Pant (WK),Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Charith Asalanka (C), Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Mendis (WK), Wanindu Hasaranga, Matheesha Pathirana

SL vs IND : Top Performers Prediction

Probable Best Batter: Shubman Gill

India opener Shubman Gill could be the probable best batter in the first T20I of the three-match series. Leading the Men in Blue for the first time in the recently concluded five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, Gill finished as the leading run-scorer after five matches. The 24-year-old smashed 170 runs in five innings at an average of 42.50 and a strike rate of 125.92. The Lankan bowlers need to get the wicket of Gill early as he can hurt them through his innings.

Probable Best Bowler: Ravi Bishnoi

India’s Ravi Bishnoi could be the probable best bowler in the upcoming game. The leg spinner was in fine touch in the Zimbabwe series claiming six wickets in five matches at an economy 5.57 and an average of 17.66. With the Sri Lankan pitches favoring spinners, Bishnoi will be a trump card and bamboozle the opposition with his bowling.

SL vs IND : Match Prediction

Scenario 1

Sri Lanka win the toss and opt to bowl first

PP Score: 50-60

Score: 155-165

India win the match

Scenario 2

India win the toss and opt to bowl first

PP score: 40-50

Score: 145-155

India win the match

Also Read: IND vs ENG: “Side Arm Specialists In India Need To Work Hard To Prepare Batters For Tough Times”- Abhishek Jain Gives His Invaluable Insights


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