The Indian cricket team embarks on a new era in T20 international cricket under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav. The duo faces the daunting task of replacing stalwarts like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja, who recently retired from the format.
As they prepare for the first match against Sri Lanka on Saturday, Gambhir and Yadav must make several crucial decisions regarding the team’s playing XI. The opening partnership is expected to remain unchanged, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill retaining their spots.
Suryakumar Yadav and Rishabh Pant are likely to occupy the No. 3 and No. 4 positions, respectively. Pant’s return means Sanju Samson may have to sit out, unless the team management opts to play him as a specialist batter.
Hardik Pandya is a certainty at No. 5, despite competition from Shivam Dube. Pandya’s all-round abilities, including his bowling, give him an edge over Dube. However, Dube’s superior batting skills against spin-heavy teams present a dilemma for the team management.
Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube are vying for the No. 6 spot, with both capable of playing the finisher’s role. Washington Sundar and Axar Patel are the two spin-bowling all-rounders likely to be included, while Ravi Bishnoi will serve as the specialist third spinner.
In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj are expected to lead the pace-bowling attack.
