IND vs SL: Let's get this straight, both India and Sri Lanka do not have their ideal, best and in-form players they want. India will not have Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Chahar, and Suryakumar Yadav in this series. While Sri Lanka will not have their best player Wanindu Hasaranga, in-form Kusal Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Kusal Perera, and Avishka Fernando.

Sri Lanka in last 5 T20Is: WLLLL
India in last 5 T20Is: WWWWW

The first T20 is set to be played in Lucknow. A pitch that allows decent batting totals and helps pacers more than spinners.

1st Inning2nd Inning
Pacers1725
Spinners47

This data shows that pacers are the key to winning the matches at Lucknow. Another interesting data shows that out of 4 matches played here, all 4 won by the team batting first. But this may change as the conditions and pitch may not be the same.

India vs Sri Lanka, Probable Teams:
Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja are back in the squad. Both will play a maximum number of matches. Rohit Sharma will lead the team.

India:
Rohit Sharma(C), Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson(WK), Venkatesh Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah.

Dinesh Chandimal is likely to make comeback in the SL squad. Leggie Jeffrey Vandersay and left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama are likely to be the two lead spinners if Theekshana does not play.

Sri Lanks:
Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Dasun Shanaka(C), Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Jeffrey Vandersay/Lahiru Kumara, Binura Fernando, Praveen Jayawickrama.

As the stats show us the venue favoring pacers, D Chameera, B Fernando, L Kumara, C Karunaratne, and D Shanaka will be the key fast bowlers for SL. On the Indian side, B Kumar, H Patel, J Bumrah, and V Iyer will lead the pace attack.

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Currently, SL has more spinners than fast-bowlers in the squad and those are not much experienced. SL has lost their last 5 away bilateral T20I series. P Nissanka is in good form since the Australia tour. The addition of D Chandimal will strengthen the middle-order.

SL has a very good opportunity to get the early wicket of Rohit Sharma, if he opens the batting, by using Binura Fernando against him. As we saw in the last match when Drakes took Sharma's wicket. A left-arm pace bowler is a key for SL to limit the score.

Praveen Jaywickrama is another bowler, SL can use in the powerplay to topple the Indian top order.

Ruturaj's form and shot selection look worrying. He needs to stay longer on the crease.

Bhuvi's role is in doubt as a death bowler after the comeback of Bumrah.

Interesting Facts:

  • The last time India played here, Rohit Sharma smashed 61-ball 111* with 8 boundaries and 7 sixes.
  • Y Chahal and J Bumrah are combined leading wicket-taker for India in T20I.
  • SL lost their last away bilateral T20 series.
  • The last T20 series of India vs Sri Lanka was won by SL.