India vs Sri Lanka T20Is: Teams will aim to start new year on a happy note while keeping an eye on World Cup

 

The new year 2023 will start with an exciting T20I series between India and Sri Lanka. From India’s standpoint, the series will be less about the players who are missing and more about those who have been picked. Yes, the BCCI selectors have taken big calls. Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul are out. There is no clarity so far on Rahul’s absence and we know that Pant might have been carrying a niggle when the side was picked but I still cannot imagine an Indian T20 team without both of these players. In my view, these two certainly get picked in the first T20 XI, but I think it is probably the right decision at the moment as selectors look to try new faces.

As I write this, the news has come through about Rishabh’s accident and I wish him well with his recovery and look forward to seeing one of the sport’s best players back in action soon hopefully.

Coming back to the series, it is right at the start of the World Cup year and it is a good time to be looking at as many options as possible. Both these formats – T20s and ODIs – are very similar in terms of demands of the players. I think it is only right to look at players in a competitive environment and have a larger pool to pick from later.

A look at India’s squad

Whatever little we have seen from Hardik Pandya the captain has been heartening. Obviously, Rohit Sharma is not available and Hardik is a fantastic appointment. I think Hardik was brilliant as captain for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2023. He has matured now as a player and understands his own game really well and that of his teammates too.

We got have Ishan Kishan, fresh from the fastest double hundred in ODIs, coming and playing a major role now. He will be looking to further strengthen his spot at the top of the order, ēspecially with Shikhar Dhawan now dropped from ODIs. He has best chance to grab the openers’ slot in limited-overs cricket for India with consistent performances.

In my T20I XI for Sri Lanka, India must open with Ishan and Shubman Gill. I have always been a huge Gill fan and think he is going to be one of the best three-format players in next few years to come. Remember that there are not many players in the world today who can excel in all three formats. He is certainly one of them and a must in the side at the top of the order.

I would want Suryakumar Yadav to bat at 3. I can see him gradually come up the order now for India. When he came in, he was batting down the order as the management wanted him to be a finisher. Hopefully, he will get more chances to set the innings up at the top of the order in this series with Kohli missing.

Hope Sanju Samson doesn’t finish too low either. I will play him at 4. I have always seen Samson as captain of ‘Makes-it-look-easy XI’, but it is time for him to become captain of ‘TurnTalent-into-substance XI’. Clearly, a player of huge ability, it will be a matter of time before Samson takes international cricket by storm. I would be trying to give as much opportunity to him to bat up the order. Hardik at Number 5 and maybe Deepak Hooda at 6. Ruturaj Gaikwad is another great contender to bat at the top of the order, when required.

I am also pleased for Washington Sundar who I believe is a very useful player and helps balance the side. He strikes the ball nicely too and does a pretty good job with the ball. He is a really big addition in India’s short form sides.

The fact that Umran Malik continues to be a part of T20 setup is heartening and I will play him in as many games as possible. A pre-requisite for any quality short-form side is a fast bowler, top order players who are aggressive and a really good mystery spinner. I think if you have got those combinations, you are good as a team. Umran Malik is one such fast bowler. He will be required going forward. Rest of the bowling attack looks sharp too. Just a little surprised that Kuldeep Yadav is not in the T20Is. but maybe it is to do with so many spin options already available.

Sri Lanka have some exciting young talent on show

As far as Sri Lanka are concerned, they will take some positives from Asia Cup where things went pretty much their way. Also, they have been playing the Lankan Premier League (LPL 2023), and have got players who are in good form. Sadeera Samarawickrama and Chamika Karunaratne, who feature in the squad, are two such names. Good to see Sri Lanka coming into this 3-match series with players who are in good touch.

Dinesh Chandimal has missed out which means Sri Lanka are also keeping an eye on the future by giving youngsters a go. Bhanuka Rajapaksa is one other player I am excited to watch. He is a bit similar to Samson. I hope he bats up the order. I think he can be a very destructive player in this series. The islanders will miss Dushmantha Chameera, who is out due to an injury. He is a very good bowler and he could have used his IPL experience against India.

To reiterate the point again, I believe both the sides will be looking to play hard cricket and will keep an eye on the 50-over World Cup at the same time. It is a World Cup year, and irrespective of the format, the selectors cannot take their eye away. The players who are in touch will get noticed and picked consistently till the big-ticket event later this year. Don’t think any of these teams will underestimate the importance of the World Cup

As far as the series is concerned, it going to be highly competitive but India start as favourites.