IND vs SL, 1st T20 Preview: Gambhir, Suryakumar aim for immediate impact as India faces troubled Sri Lanka

India's new coach-captain duo, Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav, will aim for an immediate impact as they face a Sri Lankan team in turmoil. The limited-overs series kicks off with three T20Is in Pallekele on Saturday.

Gambhir, a two-time World Cup champion, now leads as India's head coach. The T20I captaincy has been entrusted to Suryakumar Yadav, one of the format's top batters.

Gambhir, known for his coaching success in the IPL with three titles for Kolkata Knight Riders—twice as captain and once as a mentor—takes over from the highly regarded Rahul Dravid.

The new coach faces a significant challenge, as his predecessor led the team to the final in each of the ICC events in their last editions.

Gambhir's determined and intense approach will offer a fresh dynamic for the players, who will need to adapt to his methods and the new T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav.

Suryakumar’s appointment was somewhat unexpected, as he was chosen over Hardik Pandya for the role. The selectors also overlooked his relatively limited captaincy experience in making their decision.

Ajit Agarkar and his team emphasized the need for a captain who would be present on the field "more often than not" and based their decision on "dressing room feedback" while resetting the T20I squad.

With the next T20 World Cup scheduled for 2026, to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the selectors have ample time to reconstruct the team, which has also experienced a significant loss of talent.

This shake-up comes in the wake of last month's World Cup victory and the T20I retirements of veteran players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja.

As the team undergoes a transition, young batting talent and vice-captain Shubman Gill views this as a chance to solidify his position, with others such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, and Riyan Parag also aiming to make their mark.

Axar Patel, a direct replacement for Ravindra Jadeja, fits seamlessly into the lineup. Additionally, India boasts a wealth of all-round options, including Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and a well-performing Washington Sundar.

Jasprit Bumrah has been rightly rested for this tour, allowing Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj to take advantage of the favorable conditions at Pallekele International Stadium, where the pitch typically supports pace and bounce.

Similarly, Sri Lanka will feel a significant loss as two of their seasoned bowlers, Dushmantha Chameera (suffering from bronchitis and a respiratory infection) and Nuwan Thushara (with a broken finger), have been ruled out.

The hosts have brought in Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka, who took five wickets in the last ODI World Cup clash between India and Sri Lanka, as replacements.

Sri Lanka, the 2014 T20 World Cup champions, are currently navigating a challenging period following their first-round exit in the most recent tournament.

In the wake of this disappointment, skipper Wanindu Hasaranga, coach Chris Silverwood, and consultant coach Mahela Jayawardene have all resigned.

Sri Lanka has appointed cricket legend Sanath Jayasuriya as interim coach. Jayasuriya has urged his team to capitalize on India's absence of experienced stars, but he acknowledges that his squad is in urgent need of strong performances.

Despite Jayasuriya's belief that this team will turn their fortunes around over the next two years, the current Sri Lankan side struggles to inspire confidence due to weaknesses across various departments.

Charith Asalanka, an enterprising batter, has been given the captaincy as Sri Lanka embarks on a new journey, much like India, aiming to enhance their fortunes.

Playing on home soil, Sri Lanka can be optimistic about changing their fortunes, thanks to the wealth of talent within their ranks. The team features a resilient former captain, Dasun Shanaka, alongside Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, and the seasoned Dinesh Chandimal.

Teams (from):

India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj.

Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Binura Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Welalage.

Match starts at 7:00pm IST.