India face Sri Lanka in the first T20I on Thursday in Lucknow. While it will be a significantly different team to the one that recently faced the West Indies in a three-match T20I series, India remain firm favourites to get another cleansweep considering they are the hosts.

Former captain Virat Kohli and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, who was vice-captain against the West Indies in the absence of KL Rahul, have both been rested for the series while fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja both return. Suryakumar Yadav, who was arguably India’s best batter against the West Indies, and fast bowler Deepak Chahar have been ruled out with injury as well.

Here is a look at the predicted playing XI:

1. Rohit Sharma: The Indian captain has enjoyed a good start to his tenure in the position on a full-time basis and will be looking avoid any upsets in the series. Rohit scored a 19-ball 40 in the first T20I against the West Indies but could only score 19 and seven in the second and third matches and so he would be looking to get some consistency going for himself.
2. Ruturaj Gaikwad: It remains to be seen whether India will choose to stick with Ishan Kishan but considering the vacancies in the middle order, Gaikwad could be given another go in the position. Gaikwad could score just four runs in the third T20I and will be looking to make a case for himself, something he hasn’t been able to do in the three international matches he has played thus far.
3. Shreyas Iyer: Shreyas could be given a steady run in the series due to the absence of Kohli and Suryakumar. He scored a handy 25 off 16 balls in the third T20I against the West Indies and also scored 80 in the third ODI before that. Rohit himself admitted that it was unfair that a player of Shreyas’s quality is having to sit out.
4. Ishan Kishan: Ishan would know that his days in the playing XI are numbered unless he manages to turn it around with the bat. The absence of Pant means that he is expected to play all the matches but the fact that he scored just 71 runs in the three T20Is against the West Indies with a meagre strike rate of 85.54 would weigh heavy on him.
5. Venkatesh Iyer: Venkatesh Iyer finally got to show a glimpse of his all-round abilities when he took two wickets in addition to scoring an unbeaten 35 off 19 balls in the third T20I against the West Indies. Venkatesh put in consistent performances from the lower middle order and would be a regular in the squad.
6. Ravindra Jadeja: The ace all-rounder will be playing his first international match since November last year. Jadeja will be looking to get back into the swing after the lengthy period he spent on the sidelines due to injury.
7. Harshal Patel: He led the way in stifling the West Indies for runs in the death overs of their chase in the third T20I and has made a case for himself to be included the playing XI for the T20 World Cup. Harshal was India’s highest wicket taker in the West Indies series.
8. Bhuvneshwar Kumar: After a lacklustre performance in South Africa, Bhuvneshwar showed why he was regarded as India’s lead bowler before injuries hampered his career in the series against the West Indies. However, there was a chance that he would have been dropped due to Bumrah’s return and the absence of Deepak Chahar in the series has kept him in the squad.
9. Mohammed Siraj: India could also consider giving Avesh Khan another cap in the first T20I but Siraj might just get the nod ahead of him due to his experience. Siraj didn’t play in the T20I series against he West Indies but took five wickets in the preceding three-match ODI series against the them.
10. Jasprit Bumrah: The ace fast bowler has been appointed vice-captain for the series and the subsequent two Test matches. Like Jadeja, this would be the first time he will play in a T20I match since the 2021 T20 World Cup.
11. Yuzvendra Chahal: Chahal was rested in the third T20I against the West Indies but he was instrumental in limiting the flow of runs in the series. It does look like he has regained the team management’s trust and he will be looking to continue on the same vein to book a seat for himself in the flight to Australia later this year.

Complete News Source : Hindustan Times