Hardik Pandya-led Team India will take on Sri Lanka in the 1st of the three-match T20I series at Mumbai on Tuesday.
Hardik will be expected to begin his full-time T20 captaincy tenure on a bold note as the Indian T20 team prepares to start its life beyond Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul.
The followers of Indian cricket got more than glimpse of Hardik's vision for the team when led the team to victory in the rain-hit T20 series in New Zealand.
In an ODI World Cup year, the shortest format is not priority for the Indian team but the series will allow Hardik to start planning for the future, specifically the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Big three rested
India's famed top three — Rohit, Kohli and Rahul — are not part of the squad and irrespective of their T20 future , the team must prepare for life without them.
Meanwhile, reigning Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka will be no pushovers for India even in their own conditions. Sri Lanka have rewarded the star performers of the Lanka Premier League — Avishka Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne and Sadeera Samarawickrama — by including them in the team for the India series.
Squads
India: Hardik Pandya (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (VC), Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Mukesh Kumar
Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis (VC for ODIs), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (only for T20Is), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga (VC for T20Is), Ashen Bandara, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay (only for ODIs), Chamika Karunaratne, Dilshan Madushanka, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwanidu Fernando (only for ODIs), Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Thushara (only for T20Is)
When: January 3, 2023
Where to Watch: Star Sports 1 , Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 HD Hindi, Star Sports 1 Tamil, Star Sports 1 Telugu, Star Sports 1 Kannada
Live Streaming: Hot Star
Timing: 7 pm IST onwards
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