No Samson; SKY To Keep Pant, Hardik, Rinku In Middle; India's Probable XI For 1st T20I Vs SL

Sanju Samson could be ignored yet again (X.com)

India will have a new force altogether in T20Is from Saturday onwards, as they won't have the services of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma any longer in this format. The Men in Blue, who will have Gautam Gambhir as the head coach henceforth, will also have Suryakumar Yadav as their brand-new T20I skipper.

How will India set up their brute force against Sri Lanka in their first T20I of the three-match series at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium? Let's have a quick prediction on this matter.

Samson To Be Dropped For Pant; Hardik Under SKY

Let's make it very clear. Until and unless India decide to give Rishabh Pant a rest, who has played a lot of cricket in the past four months or so, there is little chance of watching Sanju Samson back in action.

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If Pant plays, he will bat at No. 3, with SKY being at No. 4 as they were together in their successful T20 World Cup campaign.

In other scenario, Hardik Pandya, who was thought to be India's next T20I captain, will play under SKY, possibly at No. 5. To support him, Rinku Singh will be among the finishers, while Axar Patel, Washingston Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi could all play given Sri Lanka's spin friendly conditions.

Among the pacers, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj are expected to be preferred, and needless to say, they look pretty solid as a unit to face the Lankan lions in their own backyard.

India's Probable Playing XI Vs Sri Lanka

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant (WK), Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh

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