India vs Sri Lanka T20I Series Opener: Hosts Wins Toss and Opts to Bowl

India and Sri Lanka are gearing up for a thrilling three-match T20I series starting on July 27, followed by three ODIs.

India, the visitors, enter the contest on the back of a 4-1 series victory over Zimbabwe. However, they will start this series with a new captain and coach, Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir, respectively. With veterans Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja bidding farewell to the format, the onus now falls on Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, and Suryakumar Yadav to lead the charge. These players have a knack for winning matches and will be eager to carry their form forward. Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the series to manage his workload.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, come into the series after a disappointing T20 World Cup. They, too, have undergone changes in coaching and captaincy. Sanath Jayasuriya will serve as their interim coach, while the cool-headed Charith Asalanka, who recently led Jaffna to a title triumph, is set to captain the team. Sri Lanka has added the experienced Dinesh Chandimal and Thisara Perera to their squad for this series and will be looking to start on a positive note.

With both teams featuring new-look squads and the stakes high, fans are eagerly anticipating a competitive and entertaining series.

Head-To-Head in T20Is:

In their 29 encounters, India has dominated with 19 wins to Sri Lanka's 9, while one game ended with no result.

Pitch Report:

"There's a cool breeze blowing across the ground, which will bring the temperature down. The surface is hard with some visible cracks. Compared to the LPL surface, this one looks quite different, with more cracks. As the ball loses its hardness, it will tend to stick in the surface. However, it should still be good for batting, and we can expect plenty of runs here."

Toss:

The coin has spun in Sri Lanka's favor, and they have decided to bowl first.

Charith Asalanka: "We've decided to bowl first as the pitch looks promising, and we want to assess its behavior. We're opting for a 6-5 combination of batters and bowlers. Each player has a specific role, which is why we've chosen to go with 5 bowlers. You can look forward to more wins and consistent performances from our team."

Suryakumar Yadav: "The pitch looks good, so we're fine with batting first. Our brand of cricket remains unchanged. The relationship between me and Gambhir has been special for many years. Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson, Khaleel Ahmed, and Washington Sundar are the four players missing out today. The World Cup is behind us; we're starting fresh, and this is a new challenge."

With both teams eager to prove themselves, the series promises to be a showcase of exciting cricket and fierce competition.

Also Read: India vs Sri Lanka 2024: Full Squad, Schedule, Venue and Live Streaming Channel