Who will open for India in T20i against Sri Lanka?

 India will play the first T20 match of the three-match series against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Stadium on July 27. This will be Gautam Gambhir's first series as Indian coach. There may be some surprising players in India's playing XI for the first T20 match. Let's know what the playing XI could be like.

The Indian team is currently on a tour of Sri Lanka. Both teams have to play a series of 3 T20 matches and then 3 ODI matches. The Indian team will start this tour from July 27. First of all, a 3-match T20 series will be played between India and Sri Lanka. All these matches will be played in Pallekele from 7 pm Indian time.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has permanently handed over the captaincy of the T20 team to Suryakumar Yadav. While with this first match, Gautam Gambhir will also start his coaching. This is Gambhir's first tour and first series as head coach.

Who will open for India in T20i against Sri Lanka

Under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, the Indian team won the T20 World Cup 2024 title in June itself. After this, Rohit, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja have retired from T20 International cricket. While Rohit and Kohli opened in the T20 World Cup 2024. Now the question is who will open in T20 after Kohli and Rohit? The answer is vice-captain Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Both of them also opened in the last 3 matches of the Zimbabwe tour. Now Gill and Yashasvi can also take over the opening on the Sri Lanka tour.

Who will handle the middle order and bowling in the T-20 match?

It is almost certain that wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant will come at number-3 against Sri Lanka. Then captain Surya himself will take responsibility at number-4. After this Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh and Shivam Dubey can come at number 5, 6 and 7 respectively.

Arshdeep Singh and Mohammad Siraj will be specialist fast bowlers. Pandya will be the third pacer all-rounder. While Akshar Patel and leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi can show their flair as spinner all-rounders. Washington Sundar can also get a chance in place of Bishnoi. If the pitch of Pallekele is spin friendly, then captain Surya can also field Washington as the third spinner along with Akshar and Bishnoi on this ground. Then Rinku Singh or Shivam Dubey may be out.

Probable Indian playing-11 in the first T20 match

Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh/Washington Sundar, Shivam Dubey, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar/Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj.