IND vs SL 1st T20I: India put to bat first as Prithvi Shaw and Varun Chakravarthy make debut

Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first against India in the 1st T20I of the three-match series which is taking place at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Meanwhile, Team India have handed T20I debut caps to swashbuckling opener Prithvi Shaw and mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy.

Having missed out on an away series in Australia and home series versus England due to poor fitness and injury related issues, the 29-year-old Chakravarthy will like his fairytale story to continue even as the Indian team is looking at one spinner for the T20 World Cup in the UAE.

After winning the ODI series 2-1, Shikhar Dhawan and Co will look to start the T20I series on a high. Under Rahul Dravid’s guidance, some of the players have displayed their potential quite well but a couple of senior players like Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have failed to find the rhythm. It is going to be a crucial match for the duo.

For Sri Lanka, the first win against India in an ODI on home soil after nine years could be just the turnaround that the country’s cricketing ecosystem needs after being in shambles for years. The hosts will aim to continue their momentum from the final ODI and take lead in the three-match T20I series.

Quotes from the toss:

Shikhar Dhawan: We wanted to have a bowl first as there’s dampness in the pitch but we are capable of putting a good score on board. It’s about giving opportunities to new players and see how they perform and have a good chance for the upcoming World Cup. We got lots of changes, two debutants for us. Prithvi Shaw and Varun Chakravarthy.

Dasun Shanaka: We are going to bowl first. I think the wicket will play better in the latter part of the game. We can’t control the injuries and it can change the momentum as well. These three games are very important for us and we have got two debutants. We got three changes from the last ODI. Isuru Udana comes back.

Teams:

India (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan(c), Prithvi Shaw, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson(w), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Varun Chakravarthy

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Avishka Fernando, Minod Bhanuka(w), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka(c), Ashen Bandara, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Isuru Udana, Akila Dananjaya, Dushmantha Chameera