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A leaky cover on the main pitch stopped the teams taking to the field in Guwahati as India and Sri Lanka welcomed 2020 with an abandoned T20I and the series now becomes a two-game shootout beginning at Indore on Tuesday.
The small turnaround time between games will be a challenge, considering the travel that’s included. However, both teams will be raring to go, as the winner of this match can’t lose the series.
India
The Indian XI announced at Guwahati was along expected lines with Manish Pandey, Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja and Yuzvendra Chahal kept out of action. There is no reason why the same XI can’t take the field again, as India look to build up to the T20 World Cup.
While the returning Shikhar Dhawan and Jasprit Bumrah will look to hog all the attention, young all-rounder Shivam Dube will hope for a good bowling performance to make the spot his own. Same goes with Washington Sundar, who has been a tad off his game in the recent times.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka are looking to make the best of the coming few months to decide their combinations. The presence of the exciting Avishka Fernando and Bhanuka Rajapaksa gives them hope that the young guns can graduate to the big stage.
The firepower in this Lankan unit is much better than their counterparts – Gunathilaka, Oshada Fernando, Dasun Shanaka and Angelo Mathews are all capable of scoring briskly. That gives hope for the visitors, although they need a coherent and consistent performance.
Match Up
India will look to reboot after the false start in Guwahati. This team under Virat Kohli has shown a tendency to be ruthless on the field. The returning Bumrah and the exciting quickie Navdeep Saini give them that edge with the ball. However, the Lankans shouldn’t be taken lightly. Even if they might fall a bit short in the final analysis, their firepower should see them edge their hosts in the sixes count.
History & Statistics
- India have won four of their last five completed home T20Is and 12 of their last 17 completed home T20Is.
- India have won eight of their last 11 completed T20Is.
- India have won the only T20I they played here, against Sri Lanka in 2017.
- The chasing team has won 10 of the last 13 completed T20Is involving India.
- Sri Lanka have lost six of their eight completed H2H T20Is in India, including the last five.
- Sri Lanka have lost their last three completed away T20Is.
Key Players
A lot has been spoken about Rahul’s form during the summer, which puts pressure on the returning Shikhar Dhawan. He needs a big score in this match and preferably the next to be a strong contender for the World Cup.
Kusal Perera has been the lone saving grace with the bat for Sri Lanka in the recent tour to Australia. He was their top-scorer in the last two T20Is and also in the lone H2H at this venue.