Sri Lanka proved too good for India in the recently concluded ODI series, beating them in the three match series 2-0&nbsp;for the first time in 27 years. Having lost the T20Is (0-3) earlier, the hosts needed to turn the tables around quickly, and they did that magnificently. Maheesh Theekshana, a white-ball specialist, explained how Sri Lanka plotted India’s downfall in the One Dayers.

Theekshana has played a few seasons with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League before, besides touring India for a white-ball series in recent years.

Theekshana elaborated that he had observed the&nbsp;pattern&nbsp;and noticed that the Indian players play more on good batting wickets and on grounds with smaller boundaries, and playing them at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, where square boundaries are wider, would benefit the hosts, which eventually happened.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/it-is-a-joke-rohit-sharma-rubbishes-complacency-talks-after-sl-series-loss-says-when-i-am-captain-748234">It is a joke: Rohit Sharma rubbishes complacency talks after SL series loss, says 'when I am captain...'</a>

Chasing 249 in the final game on Wednesday (August 7), India, for the third time in the series, got off to a flyer, with Captain Rohit Sharma again leading from the front. Although he failed to score his third fifty in the series, he took the attack to the opposition from the word go.&nbsp;

However, once he lost his wicket, the Sri Lankan spinners, mainly Dunith Wellalage, who picked a five-for, tore into the Indian batting order, wrapping them up for a lowly 138.

"They (India) usually play on good wickets and small boundaries in India. We knew playing in Premadasa, if there's a little bit of turn, we can take advantage because we have good spinners," Theekshana, who picked two wickets in the 3rd ODI, said after the match.

<h2>‘Win boosts our confidence’</h2>

Theekshana added that Sri Lankan batters are used to playing on such turning wickets and thus managed to survive the Indian spin attack comfortably. He also admitted that the ODI series win was a confidence booster for him and the team.&nbsp;

"Even in domestic, the wickets are like this, and our batters know how to play," Theekshana continued while praising the Sri Lankan batting unit.&nbsp;

"For me, it's a confidence booster as a team. We lost the T20 series 3-0. The whole team was disappointed, and we took it as motivation. Very happy to play the last game and win the series after 1997. It's a huge victory for us, and I am really proud to be part of the XI," the off-spinner added.

Sri Lanka will now travel to England for three Tests, starting August 21, and Team India will face Bangladesh in the two Tests of the home season, beginning in September.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Sri Lanka proved too good for India in the recently concluded ODI series, beating them in the three match series 2-0 for the first time in 27 years. Having lost the T20Is (0-3) earlier, the hosts needed to turn the tables around quickly, and they did that magnificently.

Sri Lanka proved too good for India in the recently concluded ODI series, beating them in the three match series 2-0 for the first time in 27 years. Having lost the T20Is (0-3) earlier, the hosts needed to turn the tables around quickly, and they did that magnificently. Maheesh Theekshana, a white-ball specialist, explained how Sri Lanka plotted India’s downfall in the One Dayers. Theekshana has played a few seasons with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League before, besides touring India for a white-ball series in recent years. Theekshana elaborated that he had observed the pattern and noticed that the Indian players play more on good batting wickets and on grounds with smaller boundaries, and playing them at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, where square boundaries are wider, would benefit the hosts, which eventually happened. ALSO READ: It is a joke: Rohit Sharma rubbishes complacency talks after SL series loss, says 'when I am captain...' Chasing 249 in the final game on Wednesday (August 7), India, for the third time in the series, got off to a flyer, with Captain Rohit Sharma again leading from the front. Although he failed to score his third fifty in the series, he took the attack to the opposition from the word go. However, once he lost his wicket, the Sri Lankan spinners, mainly Dunith Wellalage, who picked a five-for, tore into the Indian batting order, wrapping them up for a lowly 138. "They (India) usually play on good wickets and small boundaries in India. We knew playing in Premadasa, if there's a little bit of turn, we can take advantage because we have good spinners," Theekshana, who picked two wickets in the 3rd ODI, said after the match. ‘Win boosts our confidence’ Theekshana added that Sri Lankan batters are used to playing on such turning wickets and thus managed to survive the Indian spin attack comfortably. He also admitted that the ODI series win was a confidence booster for him and the team. "Even in domestic, the wickets are like this, and our batters know how to play," Theekshana continued while praising the Sri Lankan batting unit. "For me, it's a confidence booster as a team. We lost the T20 series 3-0. The whole team was disappointed, and we took it as motivation. Very happy to play the last game and win the series after 1997. It's a huge victory for us, and I am really proud to be part of the XI," the off-spinner added. Sri Lanka will now travel to England for three Tests, starting August 21, and Team India will face Bangladesh in the two Tests of the home season, beginning in September. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Indians usually play on good wickets and smaller boundaries’ – Theekshana on how SL plotted India’s loss

After guiding Sri Lanka to play a tie against India in the first ODI in Colombo, ace all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga gets ruled out of the remainder of the series due to an injury in his left hamstring. A handy customer with both the bat and the ball, Hasaranga is the latest edition of a long list of first-team players, mostly bowlers, to miss the India series.&nbsp;

Jeffrey Vandersay, 34, is named Hasaranga's replacement for the last two ODIs, the second of which gets underway on Sunday (Aug 4).

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bcci-set-to-inaugurate-new-national-cricket-academy-in-bengaluru-equipped-with-world-class-facilities-746891">BCCI set to inaugurate new National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru equipped with world class facilities</a>

"He experienced pain in his left hamstring while delivering the last ball of his 10th over during the first ODI. An MRI performed on the player, following this, confirmed the injury," the SLC media release stated late on Saturday (Aug&nbsp;3).

<h2>More worry mounts for SL</h2>

Hasaranga joins Dushmantha Chameera (bronchitis and respiratory infection), Nuwan Thushara (thumb), Dilshan Madushanka (hamstring) and Matheesha Pathirana (shoulder) as Sri Lanka star attack that got sidelined with respective injuries.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, even in the absence of these pacers in the XI, the Sri Lankan Team showed heart by not allowing India to walk away with the win in the first ODI. Despite the Men in Blue needing just one run off 15 balls and two wickets remaining to win the match, they tumbled under pressure, losing both wickets off successive balls, leading to a tied result.

Hasaranga was instrumental in helping Sri Lanka post a fighting total (230) after being reduced to 142 for six at one stage. Alongside his fellow all-rounder Dunith Wellalage, who scored a brilliant 67*, Hasaranga scored 24 off 35 balls, hitting two sixes and one four.

While bowling, Hasaranga was among the wickets, picking three, including the big ones of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. He later clean-bowled Kuldeep Yadav to put Sri Lanka in a commanding position.

(With inputs from agencies)

After guiding Sri Lanka to play a tie against India in the first ODI in Colombo, ace all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga gets ruled out of the remainder of the series due to an injury in his left hamstring.

After guiding Sri Lanka to play a tie against India in the first ODI in Colombo, ace all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga gets ruled out of the remainder of the series due to an injury in his left hamstring. A handy customer with both the bat and the ball, Hasaranga is the latest edition of a long list of first-team players, mostly bowlers, to miss the India series. Jeffrey Vandersay, 34, is named Hasaranga's replacement for the last two ODIs, the second of which gets underway on Sunday (Aug 4). ALSO READ: BCCI set to inaugurate new National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru equipped with world class facilities "He experienced pain in his left hamstring while delivering the last ball of his 10th over during the first ODI. An MRI performed on the player, following this, confirmed the injury," the SLC media release stated late on Saturday (Aug 3). More worry mounts for SL Hasaranga joins Dushmantha Chameera (bronchitis and respiratory infection), Nuwan Thushara (thumb), Dilshan Madushanka (hamstring) and Matheesha Pathirana (shoulder) as Sri Lanka star attack that got sidelined with respective injuries. Meanwhile, even in the absence of these pacers in the XI, the Sri Lankan Team showed heart by not allowing India to walk away with the win in the first ODI. Despite the Men in Blue needing just one run off 15 balls and two wickets remaining to win the match, they tumbled under pressure, losing both wickets off successive balls, leading to a tied result. Hasaranga was instrumental in helping Sri Lanka post a fighting total (230) after being reduced to 142 for six at one stage. Alongside his fellow all-rounder Dunith Wellalage, who scored a brilliant 67*, Hasaranga scored 24 off 35 balls, hitting two sixes and one four. While bowling, Hasaranga was among the wickets, picking three, including the big ones of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. He later clean-bowled Kuldeep Yadav to put Sri Lanka in a commanding position. (With inputs from agencies)

SL vs IND 2024: Blow to Sri Lanka as all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga ruled out of ODI series

The Indian cricket team wore black armbands to pay tribute to late cricketer Anshuman Gaekwad, who passed away on Wednesday (July 31) in London. Aged 71, the former India batter and coach lost his life battling blood cancer. Meanwhile, India captain Rohit Sharma wore the black armband during the toss, which he lost as Sri Lanka asked India to bowl first in the first ODI.

"Team India is wearing black armbands today in memory of former Indian cricketer and coach Anshuman Gaekwad, who passed away on Wednesday," the BCCI said in a statement on Friday.&nbsp;

The ex-India batter, Gaekwad, played 40 Tests and 15 One-Dayers, scoring 2254 runs in total, including twin tons, with his top score (201) coming against Pakistan in Jalandhar in 1983.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/eoin-morgan-picks-rahul-dravid-brendon-mccullum-as-options-for-englands-white-ball-coach-746550">Eoin Morgan picks Rahul Dravid, Brendon McCullum as options for England’s white-ball coach</a>

Recently, former India captain Kapil Dev and his teammate Sandip Patil urged the BCCI to provide medical assistance to Gaekwad, who was getting treated for cancer in London. The Indian Cricket Board reacted immediately, as BCCI secretary Jay Shah asked the board to release INR 1 crore for his treatment.

<h2>Pant dropped, Iyer returns to XI for 1st ODI</h2>

Rohit had to choose between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant, and he went ahead with KL as the keeper-batter in the first ODI. Although Pant had recently won the T20 World Cup in the Americas and was also in form, KL was ahead in the pecking order.&nbsp;

The bigger news, however, was the inclusion of Shreyas Iyer in the playing XI for the first time since his fallout with BCCI. Earlier, the Indian board decided against providing him and Ishan Kishan central contracts for the upcoming season.

With all eyes on the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, scheduled for the February-March window, the selectors are keen on zeroing in on the final 15 for the eight-team tournament.&nbsp;With a sorted top order, the team management has the middle order headache to handle, with plenty of options waiting in the wings. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, going by the look of the playing XI in the first ODI, KL will keep wickets in the ODIs, with Iyer preferred at number four. Although Hardik Pandya's name is absent from this squad, he still can return, depending on his bowling fitness.

In the meantime, Shivam Dube and Riyan Parag will be tried in the lower middle-order slots. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Indian cricket team wore black armbands to pay tribute to late cricketer Anshuman Gaekwad, who passed away on Wednesday (July 31) in London. Aged 71, the former India batter and coach lost his life battling blood cancer.

The Indian cricket team wore black armbands to pay tribute to late cricketer Anshuman Gaekwad, who passed away on Wednesday (July 31) in London. Aged 71, the former India batter and coach lost his life battling blood cancer. Meanwhile, India captain Rohit Sharma wore the black armband during the toss, which he lost as Sri Lanka asked India to bowl first in the first ODI. "Team India is wearing black armbands today in memory of former Indian cricketer and coach Anshuman Gaekwad, who passed away on Wednesday," the BCCI said in a statement on Friday. The ex-India batter, Gaekwad, played 40 Tests and 15 One-Dayers, scoring 2254 runs in total, including twin tons, with his top score (201) coming against Pakistan in Jalandhar in 1983. ALSO READ: Eoin Morgan picks Rahul Dravid, Brendon McCullum as options for England’s white-ball coach Recently, former India captain Kapil Dev and his teammate Sandip Patil urged the BCCI to provide medical assistance to Gaekwad, who was getting treated for cancer in London. The Indian Cricket Board reacted immediately, as BCCI secretary Jay Shah asked the board to release INR 1 crore for his treatment. Pant dropped, Iyer returns to XI for 1st ODI Rohit had to choose between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant, and he went ahead with KL as the keeper-batter in the first ODI. Although Pant had recently won the T20 World Cup in the Americas and was also in form, KL was ahead in the pecking order. The bigger news, however, was the inclusion of Shreyas Iyer in the playing XI for the first time since his fallout with BCCI. Earlier, the Indian board decided against providing him and Ishan Kishan central contracts for the upcoming season. With all eyes on the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, scheduled for the February-March window, the selectors are keen on zeroing in on the final 15 for the eight-team tournament. With a sorted top order, the team management has the middle order headache to handle, with plenty of options waiting in the wings. Meanwhile, going by the look of the playing XI in the first ODI, KL will keep wickets in the ODIs, with Iyer preferred at number four. Although Hardik Pandya's name is absent from this squad, he still can return, depending on his bowling fitness. In the meantime, Shivam Dube and Riyan Parag will be tried in the lower middle-order slots. (With inputs from agencies)

SL vs IND 2024, 1st ODI: Indian players don black armbands in memory of Anshuman Gaekwad

The Indian Team won the first T20I comfortably by 43 runs, thanks to a captain’s knock by Suryakumar Yadav and cameos from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant; however, it was the budding all-rounder Riyan Parag who hogged all the limelight with his career-best spell of 3/5 in 1.2 overs. With the second T20I scheduled for Sunday (Jul&nbsp;28), the Men in Blue will aim for a T20I series win under a new captain, SKY and head coach, Gautam Gambhir.

WATCH VIDEO –

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 🎯<a href="https://twitter.com/ParagRiyan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ParagRiyan</a> delivered when <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> needed him the most 😍<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SonySportsNetwork?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SonySportsNetwork</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SLvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SLvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/mKmpaQ5pLp">pic.twitter.com/mKmpaQ5pLp</a>
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) <a href="https://twitter.com/SonySportsNetwk/status/1817255531154993552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2024</a></blockquote>
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In the absence of seasoned campaigners Rohit, Virat and Jadeja, who announced their T20I retirements last month, the Men in Blue shone as their bench strength came good in the first game. Young openers had their share of fun early on, while Pant began from where he had left during the T20 World Cup.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/sl-vs-ind-1st-t20i-india-start-gambhir-suryakumar-era-on-winning-note-despite-hosts-resolute-show-with-bat-744838">SL vs IND, 1st T20I: India start Gambhir-Suryakumar era on winning note despite hosts' resolute show with bat</a>

Suryakumar aced his way into hitting his maiden fifty as captain as India posted a mammoth 213 for seven batting first.

The Indian bowlers did struggle early on as the hosts posted 140 for one in 14 overs at one stage. However, the tables turned from Axar Patel’s next over, with Parag’s three wickets at the death handing India a win in the 1st T20I.

<h2>Team India eyes win in 2nd T20I</h2>

With both teams gearing up for the second T20I on Sunday, the Men in Blue will walk out buzzing with confidence. Though the management is unlikely to change the winning combination, an alteration in the batting order, given the match situation, is the best the fans could see in the name of change.

On the other hand, the newly-appointed Sri Lanka T20I captain, Charith Asalanka, admitted his team was not up to the mark; however, considering how they fought, mainly while chasing early on, the hosts might come in handy in the second game of the series.&nbsp;

“We were not up to the mark in the Powerplay, but in the latter part, we came back pretty strong,” Asalanka said after the 1st T20I.&nbsp;

<h3>Result Prediction -</h3>

Sri Lanka would have taken confidence from their outing in the 1st T20I, but India might again start as favourites in the second match.

Predicted Playing XIs of both teams –

Sri Lanka - Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka (c), Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana and Binura Fernando

India - Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj

(With inputs from agencies)

The Indian Team won the first T20I comfortably by 43 runs, thanks to a captain’s knock by Suryakumar Yadav and cameos from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant; however, it was the budding all-rounder Riyan Parag who hogged all the limelight with his career-best spell of 3/5 in 1.

The Indian Team won the first T20I comfortably by 43 runs, thanks to a captain’s knock by Suryakumar Yadav and cameos from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant; however, it was the budding all-rounder Riyan Parag who hogged all the limelight with his career-best spell of 3/5 in 1.2 overs. With the second T20I scheduled for Sunday (Jul 28), the Men in Blue will aim for a T20I series win under a new captain, SKY and head coach, Gautam Gambhir. WATCH VIDEO – 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 🎯@ParagRiyan delivered when #TeamIndia needed him the most 😍#SonySportsNetwork #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/mKmpaQ5pLp — Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) July 27, 2024 × In the absence of seasoned campaigners Rohit, Virat and Jadeja, who announced their T20I retirements last month, the Men in Blue shone as their bench strength came good in the first game. Young openers had their share of fun early on, while Pant began from where he had left during the T20 World Cup. ALSO READ: SL vs IND, 1st T20I: India start Gambhir-Suryakumar era on winning note despite hosts' resolute show with bat Suryakumar aced his way into hitting his maiden fifty as captain as India posted a mammoth 213 for seven batting first. The Indian bowlers did struggle early on as the hosts posted 140 for one in 14 overs at one stage. However, the tables turned from Axar Patel’s next over, with Parag’s three wickets at the death handing India a win in the 1st T20I. Team India eyes win in 2nd T20I With both teams gearing up for the second T20I on Sunday, the Men in Blue will walk out buzzing with confidence. Though the management is unlikely to change the winning combination, an alteration in the batting order, given the match situation, is the best the fans could see in the name of change. On the other hand, the newly-appointed Sri Lanka T20I captain, Charith Asalanka, admitted his team was not up to the mark; however, considering how they fought, mainly while chasing early on, the hosts might come in handy in the second game of the series. “We were not up to the mark in the Powerplay, but in the latter part, we came back pretty strong,” Asalanka said after the 1st T20I. Result Prediction - Sri Lanka would have taken confidence from their outing in the 1st T20I, but India might again start as favourites in the second match. Predicted Playing XIs of both teams – Sri Lanka - Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka (c), Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana and Binura Fernando India - Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj (With inputs from agencies)

SL vs IND 2024, 2nd T20I: Team India eyes series win after Suryakumar, Parag’s star show in opener

All the eyeballs are on the newly-appointed head coach, Gautam Gambhir, as Team India embarks on the Sri Lankan tour with a new T20I captain and newer ideas. India will face the hosts Sri Lanka in the first of the three T20Is on Saturday (July 26) in Pallekele, with ace batter Suryakumar Yadav captaining the Men in Blue for the first time. Here is the preview and result prediction of the first T20I between India and Sri Lanka.

<h2>Match Preview</h2>

Since winning their second T20 World Cup title in the Americas last month, some seniors, including skipper SKY, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Siraj, Rishabh Pant and others, returned to the side for the three-match series. And with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja retiring from the format, Team India will bank on the youngsters to carry their legacies forward.

However, the onus has majorly been on Gambhir, who replaced Rahul Dravid as Team India’s new head coach. With experts, pundits, and even his former teammates expressing their views on how things could unfold under Gautam, the ex-India opener remains keen on sticking to his mantra of coaching, which saw KKR winning its 3rd IPL title under his guidance this year.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/sl-vs-ind-1st-t20i-suryakumar-yadav-assured-of-no-change-in-approach-says-same-train-will-continue-744540">SL vs IND, 1st T20I: Suryakumar Yadav assured of no change in approach, says 'same train will continue'</a>

Meanwhile, the Men in Blue will have a newer opening pair in Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, while T20 WC-bound batters will fill up the middle-order space. Rinku Singh will play as a finisher, while Axar Patel and Washington Sundar will take up the all-rounder&nbsp;duties.&nbsp;

Bishnoi will play as the lone spinner, with the pace duo of Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj to take the new ball.

On the other hand, the hosts, Sri Lanka, would like to keep up the spirits despite illness and injuries hitting their camp ahead of this marquee series.

Under the&nbsp;new captain, Charith Asalanka, and veteran duo Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Perera returning to the squad, Sri Lanka would hope for a power-pack start to the series. While the regulars would still hold the key, the absence of pacers – Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara could hurt their chances heading into the series opener.

However, seam bowling prodigy Matheesha Pathirana would be the one to look out for.

<h3>Result Prediction –</h3>

Despite Sri Lanka playing at home, the Men in Blue, oozing with confidence, would start as favourites.

Predicted Playing XIs of both teams –

Sri Lanka - Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka (c), Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana and Binura Fernando

India - Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj

All the eyeballs are on the newly-appointed head coach, Gautam Gambhir, as Team India embarks on the Sri Lankan tour with a new T20I captain and newer ideas. India will face the hosts Sri Lanka in the first of the three T20Is on Saturday (July 26) in Pallekele, with ace batter Suryakumar Yadav captaining the Men in Blue for the first time.

All the eyeballs are on the newly-appointed head coach, Gautam Gambhir, as Team India embarks on the Sri Lankan tour with a new T20I captain and newer ideas. India will face the hosts Sri Lanka in the first of the three T20Is on Saturday (July 26) in Pallekele, with ace batter Suryakumar Yadav captaining the Men in Blue for the first time. Here is the preview and result prediction of the first T20I between India and Sri Lanka. Match Preview Since winning their second T20 World Cup title in the Americas last month, some seniors, including skipper SKY, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Siraj, Rishabh Pant and others, returned to the side for the three-match series. And with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja retiring from the format, Team India will bank on the youngsters to carry their legacies forward. However, the onus has majorly been on Gambhir, who replaced Rahul Dravid as Team India’s new head coach. With experts, pundits, and even his former teammates expressing their views on how things could unfold under Gautam, the ex-India opener remains keen on sticking to his mantra of coaching, which saw KKR winning its 3rd IPL title under his guidance this year. ALSO READ: SL vs IND, 1st T20I: Suryakumar Yadav assured of no change in approach, says 'same train will continue' Meanwhile, the Men in Blue will have a newer opening pair in Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, while T20 WC-bound batters will fill up the middle-order space. Rinku Singh will play as a finisher, while Axar Patel and Washington Sundar will take up the all-rounder duties. Bishnoi will play as the lone spinner, with the pace duo of Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj to take the new ball. On the other hand, the hosts, Sri Lanka, would like to keep up the spirits despite illness and injuries hitting their camp ahead of this marquee series. Under the new captain, Charith Asalanka, and veteran duo Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Perera returning to the squad, Sri Lanka would hope for a power-pack start to the series. While the regulars would still hold the key, the absence of pacers – Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara could hurt their chances heading into the series opener. However, seam bowling prodigy Matheesha Pathirana would be the one to look out for. Result Prediction – Despite Sri Lanka playing at home, the Men in Blue, oozing with confidence, would start as favourites. Predicted Playing XIs of both teams – Sri Lanka - Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka (c), Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana and Binura Fernando India - Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj

Preview - Extra focus on coach Gambhir as Team India begins Sri Lanka T20Is with new captain and newer ideas

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‘Indians usually play on good wickets and smaller boundaries’ – Theekshana on how SL plotted India’s loss

SL vs IND 2024: Blow to Sri Lanka as all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga ruled out of ODI series

SL vs IND 2024, 1st ODI: Indian players don black armbands in memory of Anshuman Gaekwad

SL vs IND 2024, 2nd T20I: Team India eyes series win after Suryakumar, Parag’s star show in opener

Preview - Extra focus on coach Gambhir as Team India begins Sri Lanka T20Is with new captain and newer ideas