Sri Lanka vs India: First T20I Match with New Coaches Sanath Jayasuriya and Gautam Gambhir

Pallekele [Sri Lanka], July 27: Charith Asalanka-led Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to field against Suryakumar Yadav’s India in the first T20I match of the series at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Both teams are playing under new head coaches. Legendary all-rounder Sanath Jayasuriya is the interim head coach for Sri Lanka, while former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir is the new head coach for India, succeeding Rahul Dravid.

India’s last tour of Sri Lanka for a bilateral white-ball series was in July 2021, with Dravid coaching the Shikhar Dhawan-led side. India won the ODI series 2-1, while Sri Lanka won the T20I series by the same margin.

At the toss, Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka said, “We are going to bowl first. It looks like a pretty good pitch, and we want to see how it goes. We are going with a 6-5 combination. I want to give every player a specific role, and that’s why we are going with 5 bowlers.”

India skipper Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson, Khaleel Ahmed, and Washington Sundar will miss the first match of the T20I series. “It (the pitch) looks good, and it is fine to bat first. The brand of cricket remains the same. The relationship me and him (Gambhir) have had for so many years is special. Dube, Samson, Khaleel, and Washington are the four players to miss out. That (World Cup) is history; we start from scratch, and it is a new challenge,” Suryakumar said.

India Playing XI:

Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Riyan Parag, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.

Sri Lanka Playing XI:

Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (WK), Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (C), Wanindu Hasaranga, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka.