First T20I between India and Sri Lanka, on July 27, India and Sri Lanka will play the first T20I of a three-match series. The match is the first one that Gautam Gambhir will lead as head coach of the Indian cricket team. It will also be Suryakumar Yadav’s first game as the regular T20I captain of the Indian cricket team. While a few players were unexpectedly left out, India has put together a good 15-person team for the T20I series against Sri Lanka. Shubman Gill has been chosen to be the team’s vice-captain.
The wicketkeepers and hitters on the team are Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson. Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, and Washington Sundar are in charge of turning the balls over. Mohammed Siraj is in charge of the fast bowling, and Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and Khaleel Ahmed are the other four fast bowlers.
India vs Sri Lanka 1st T20I: Predicted playing XI
India is sure to start with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill. Captain Suryakumar Yadav could take Rishabh Pant’s spot as the third player back. In all of the T20 World Cup 2024 games, the wicketkeeper-batsman played at number three.
There can be a toss-up between Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant. Suryakumar and Gambhir will have to make a tough call as fitting both in the starting eleven is highly unlikely. Samson hit a match-winning fifty against Zimbabwe in his last game and can pip Pant. Notably, unlike Samson, Pant is in the ODI team as well. India would also look to go with three spin-bowling choices.
India 1st T20I Predicted Playing XI: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj
Sri Lanka 1st T20I Predicted Playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana