India's Predicted Playing XI For The First T20I Against Sri Lanka

BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly has informed that India will lock horns with Sri Lanka in a bilateral ODI and T20I series in July. India will travel to Sri Lanka for the bilateral ODI and T20I series. The BCCI chief also informed that the tour will consist of 5 T20Is and 3 ODIs. Many top Indian players will not be available for the tour as they will be in England during the time.

India team is set to depart to England for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship Final against New Zealand in June. Later, the same Indian contingent will also face England in the five-match Test series in August. However, the Indian squad will stay in England in July and prepare for the Test series.

As a result, other players will be chosen for the Sri Lanka tour. Sri Lanka will have the home advantage in the series so BCCI should send the best combination of Indian players to Sri Lanka. Here we look at India’s predicted playing XI in the first T20I against Sri Lanka.

India’s Predicted Playing XI For The First T20I Against Sri Lanka:

Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan should lead the Indian side in the T20I series against Sri Lanka as he will be the most experienced Indian player to play in the bilateral series. Moreover, Dhawan will be a great opener for the Indian team. Dhawan has been a regular member of the Indian team in the limited-overs for the past few years. In IPL 2021 too, Dhawan was in amazing form. He was the leading run-scorer with 380 in 8 matches along with 3 half-centuries.

Prithvi Shaw

Prithvi Shaw will be the best choice for the other opener with Shikhar Dhawan. Since the start of this year, Shaw has been in great form which was visible in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2020-21 and IPL 2021. Shaw was the fourth-highest run-scorer in IPL 2021 with 308 runs in 8 games. He also smacked three half-centuries in the tournament. Shaw also has a good experience for opening with Shikhar Dhawan while playing for Delhi Capitals in IPL. Therefore, he should play in the first T20I against Sri Lanka and open the innings with Shikhar Dhawan.

Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav will be a good batsman at the no.3 spot for India in the first T20I against Sri Lanka. Yadav made a brilliant T20I debut against England this year when he smashed a fifty in his debut match. In the 2 T20Is he played; Yadav scored 89 runs. Yadav will strengthen India’s middle-order in the first T20I against Sri Lanka. His aggressive batting style will help India to score maximum runs in the middle-overs.

Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan will be a great choice for wicket-keeper. The left-handed batsman Kishan is an aggressive hitter. He also made his international T20I debut against England in March this year and scored a fifty in his very first game. He has the ability to hit big shots. For the wicket-keeper batsman, Ishan Kishan will be the best pick for India in the first T20I against Sri Lanka.

Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer has been a great batsman in the T20 format. With his consistent batting show for India, he has become a regular part of the Indian team in the T20I games in the last year. Iyer was ruled out of IPL 2021 due to injury. He scored a crucial century in the first T20I against England earlier in March. Also, he has been a consistent performer for Delhi Capitals in IPL so far. He will be totally fit for the Sri Lanka tour in July. He is another player who should be part of India’s playing 11 in the first T20I against Sri Lanka.

Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya will be another experienced player who is expected to be part of the Indian squad during the Sri Lanka tour. Hardik Pandya is an exceptional all-rounder. He played brilliantly in the T20I series against England. Also, in the T20I series against Australia last year, he was the key batsman for India. Hardik Pandya can also help in the bowling department being an all-rounder. So Hardik Pandya should be part of the Indian team in the first T20I against Sri Lanka.

Rahul Tewatia

Rahul Tewatia will be another good option to induct in the first T20I against Sri Lanka. The left-handed batsman Tewatia is a big hitter and also has the ability to bowl. He is a batting all-rounder and can be used as a secondary spinner in the T20I series against Sri Lanka. Rahul Tewatia was part of the Indian squad in the T20I series against England but did not feature in the playing XI. He should be given a chance against Sri Lanka.

Harshal Patel

Harshal Patel earned accolades with his impressive bowling in IPL 2021. Harshal Patel was the leading wicket-taker in IPL 2021 with 17 wickets in 7 matches. He led the pace attack for Royal Challengers Bangalore in many games. He will be very effective in the T20I series against Sri Lanka and should be given a chance in playing XI in the first T20I.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar should be part of the first T20I as he is an experienced international bowler. Indian team needs to have some experience in the bowling department against Sri Lanka and Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the best bowler for the same. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was brilliant in the T20I series against England earlier where he took 4 wickets in 5 matches.

Deepak Chahar

Deepak Chahar will give great support to Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the T20I series against Sri Lanka. Since his international debut in 2018, Deepak Chahar has been magnificent in T20Is with 18 wickets in 13 matches. Also, he did a great job for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2021, picking 8 wickets in 7 matches. In the absence of leading Indian pacers like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami from the Sri Lanka tour, Deepak Chahar will be a great option for pacers in the first T20I.

Rahul Chahar

If we talk about spinners in IPL 2021, Rahul Chahar was the most impressive bowler. He led the spin attack for Mumbai Indians in few games and also helped them to defend a low total in a couple of games. Rahul Chahar was the 4^th leading wicket-taker in IPL 2021 with 11 wickets in 7 matches. After his amazing performance in IPL 2021, Rahul Chaha should be given a chance in the first T20I against Sri Lanka.