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. Charith Aslanka will take charge of the Sri Lankan team.
Who will get a chance between Pant and 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 the Sri Lanka tour. In such a situation, it will not be easy to select one among Pant and Samson as both of them are aggressive wicketkeeper batsmen.
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Even though there are two vacant places in the Indian batting order, it will not be easy to field either of them as a specialist batsman. Rishabh Pant scored 171 runs in the T20 World Cup. On the other hand, 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 opinion 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 statistics 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 a strike rate of 133.33. During this, 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 in accordance with his ability. Apart from taking 16 catches in T20 Internationals, Sanju has also made four stumpings.
Pant has also done wonders in T20I
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. Pant has taken 40 catches and also made 10 stumpings in T20 International. Now who to choose between these two 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 is the reason why there was no discussion about Samson during the T20 World Cup. Now in this T20 series too, Pant is more likely to get a chance in the playing-11. Pant is a left-handed batsman, so he provides the option of left-right combination to the team. Also, his aggressive batting and wicketkeeping skills also prove to be very useful for the team.
India’s T20 squad: 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-man T20 squad: Charith Asalanka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Velalage, Mahesh Tikshina, Chamindu Pandinkathy, Madusinghara, Binura Fernando.
India-Sri Lanka series schedule
July 27 – 1st T20, Pallekele
July 28 – 2nd T20, Pallekele
July 30 – 3rd T20, Pallekele
Aug 2 – 1st ODI, Colombo
Aug 4 – 2nd ODI, Colombo
Aug 7 – 3rd ODI, Colombo