India’s newly appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir and T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav will make their debut as a leadership duo against a struggling Sri Lankan side in a series of limited-overs matches. The first game of the three-match T20I series will be held on Saturday in Pallekele.
Gambhir, a two-time World Cup winner, takes over the coaching reins from Rahul Dravid. The new coach faces a significant challenge, considering that under Dravid’s guidance, the team reached the final in each of the ICC events — World Test Championship, ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup — in the respective recent editions.
Known for his tenacity and intense approach, Gambhir’s coaching style will present a fresh experience for the players. They will also need to adapt to the leadership of their new T20I captain, Suryakumar.
The selection of Suryakumar as captain came as a mild surprise, as he was chosen over Hardik Pandya despite his relatively limited captaincy experience. The BCCI selection committee emphasized their preference for a captain who was consistently available for selection and considered “dressing room feedback” when deciding to reset the T20I team’s leadership.
The Indian selectors have ample time to reconstruct the team for the next T20 World Cup in 2026, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Following the recent World Cup victory and the retirement of experienced players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja from T20Is, the team finds itself in a transitional phase.
This presents an opportunity for young talents like Shubman Gill, the vice-captain in both white-ball formats, to solidify his position in the team. Other promising players, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, and Riyan Parag, will also aim to establish themselves.
Axar Patel seamlessly steps into Jadeja’s role in the playing eleven, while India boasts a wealth of all-round options with the presence of Pandya, Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar.
Jasprit Bumrah has been given a well-deserved rest for this tour, allowing Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj to capitalize on the favorable conditions at the Pallekele International Stadium.
Sri Lanka’s bowling attack has been weakened by the absence of Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara. The team has brought in Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka as replacements.
The island nation, which won the T20 World Cup in 2014, is currently facing challenging times after being eliminated in the first round of the recent edition. In the wake of this disappointment, captain Wanindu Hasaranga, coach Chris Silverwood and consultant coach Mahela Jayawardene all submitted their resignations.
Former SL captain Sanath Jayasuriya has been appointed as the interim coach for Sri Lanka. He has encouraged his team to capitalize on the absence of experienced players in the Indian squad. However, Jayasuriya is well aware that his team is in dire need of consistent and strong performances to turn their fortunes around.
The responsibility of leading the team has been given to the promising batsman Charith Asalanka, as Sri Lanka, similar to India, ventures into unfamiliar territory with the aim of improving their cricket.
With the advantage of playing on their home turf, Sri Lanka have reason to be optimistic about changing their fortunes, considering the wealth of talent within their squad. This includes the aggressive former captain Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis and the seasoned Dinesh Chandimal.
