The first match of the three-match T20 series between India and Sri Lanka is to be played on 27 July (Saturday) in Pallekele. This match is also going to be very special for former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir. This will be Gambhir’s first match as the head coach of the Indian team. Suryakumar Yadav will captain the Indian team in this match. Whereas Charith Asalanka will take the reins of the Sri Lankan team.
Who will get a chance in Pant-Samson?
If seen, choosing the perfect playing-11 in the T20 series against Sri Lanka will be no less than a headache for Gautam Gambhir. There is some confusion regarding the wicketkeeping slot, for which Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant are in the race. Most of the players of the T20 World Cup winning team have come on Sri Lanka tour. In such a situation, it will not be easy to choose between Pant and Samson because both of them are aggressive wicketkeeper batsmen.
Even though there are two vacancies in the Indian batting order, it will not be easy to field one of these two as a specialist batsman. Rishabh Pant scored 171 runs in the T20 World Cup. Whereas Sanju Samson did not get a chance to play even a single match even though he was a part of the team.
This T20 series against Sri Lanka has become important for the Indian team because this is Gambhir’s first series as the head coach, while the new captain of the team is Suryakumar Yadav. Looking at Gambhir’s past record, it is certain that his input will be given more importance in the team combination.
When Rishabh Pant was out of the team after being injured in a car accident in December 2022, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Jitesh Sharma and Dhruv Jurel were tried as wicketkeeper batsmen. If we look at the figures of Pant and Samson, they look quite similar.
Such is Sanju’s T20 International record
Sanju Samson has played 28 T20 International matches so far, in which he has scored 444 runs at an average of 21.14 and strike rate of 133.33. During this period he scored two half-centuries. Sanju has played 27 of these matches after 2020, while he made his T20 International debut in 2015. He himself has admitted that his average of 21.14 is not as per his ability. Apart from taking 16 catches, Sanju has made four stumpings in T20 International.
Pant has done wonders in T20I also
On the other hand, Rishabh Pant has played 74 T20 International matches so far in which he has scored 1158 runs at a strike rate of 126.55 and an average of 22.70. Pant scored three half-centuries in T20 International. Apart from taking 40 catches in T20 International, Pant has also made 10 stumpings. Now which of these two to select will largely depend on the thinking of the team management.
As far as Rohit Sharma is concerned, he had full faith in Pant and this was the reason why there was no discussion about Samson during the T20 World Cup. Now in this T20 series also, Pant is more likely to get a chance in the playing-11. Pant is a left-handed batsman, hence he provides the option of left-right combination to the team. Besides, his aggressive batting and wicket-keeping skills also prove to be very useful for the team.
India’s T20 team: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dubey, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Khalil Ahmed and Mohammad Siraj.
Sri Lanka’s 16-member T20 squad: Charith Aslanka (captain), Pathum Nisanka, Kusal Pereira, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Velalage, Mahesh Tikshna, Chamindu Pandinkathi, Madusinghara, , Binura Fernando .
India-Sri Lanka series schedule
27 July- 1st T20, Pallekele
July 28- 2nd T20, Pallekele
30 July- 3rd T20, Pallekele
2 August- 1st ODI, Colombo
4 August- 2nd ODI, Colombo
7 August- 3rd ODI, Colombo