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3rd T20 Preview: Depleted India search final fire, Sri Lanka bank on momentum in series decider

Mayank Kumar

For all the talk around their mediocrity on the cricket field in the past few months or years, Sri Lanka have made India run for their money in both the ODI and T20 series. They now sit on the cusp of a series win if the Indian team that has just five specialist batsmen left fail once again while they also fought hard in the ODI series. 

The fact that the series has gone to a situation where both sides are in with a chance of winning the series highlights India’s inability to capture crucial moments and Sri Lanka’s just holding it enough.

The lack of self-belief appeared on their faces when Deepak Chahar started taking them to all parts of the grounds in the second ODI which ultimately turned out to be series-winning innings from him. 

The second T20I was nothing too dissimilar and Sri Lanka came spirited to pounce on India’s limit with the bat. They must be aware of the lack of depth with Bhuvneshwar Kumar slotted to bat at number six and did not go fancy with the new ball. Instead, they put all their might to prevent India from getting a rapid start and forgetting that they are one or two personnel short with the bat.

Shikhar Dhawan admitted they were concerned about no batsmen in the lower order and hence they could not bat more freely. The likes of Sanju Samson, who throughout his career in the IPL has faced the blame for being inconsistent and irresponsible, played 13 balls to score seven runs. To be fair to them, extravagant turn for spinners also did not help their cause one bit and the challenges are likely to be all but similar. 

For Sri Lanka, Chamika Karunaratne is turning out to be one of the most dynamic packages who comes at the back end of the innings and whips them to a good score. 

Wanindu Hasaranga is enhancing his reputation with every game he is going out on the field. Once again, he turned the ball admirably to put India in a spot of bother and then turned on his batting avatar to bail his side out of trouble for some time when Indian spinners were attempting to run through the Sri Lankan batting order.

Sri Lanka vs India: Match Details

Match Number- 03

Date and Time: July 29, 2021, 08:00 pm IST and Local, 02:30 pm GMT

Venue: R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo 

Broadcast and Live Stream: Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV

Pitch report

The pitch at the R Premadasa Stadium was proving to be a blessing for the spinners as balls were gripping and turning from the central part of the surface. All kinds of spinners, be it ones who bowl slow through the air i.e. Kuldeep Yadav, and ones who rip it through i.e. Varun Chakravarthy, all extracted good purchases off the pitch.

Batsmen struggled to time the ball with pacers too using slower balls and cutters to allow the balls to get stuck in the surface and life will be no easier in the final game of the series and tour.

Team News

Sri Lanka

Sadeera Samarawickrama could not make good use of the opportunity in the second T20I, but it seems unlikely that the team management will force him out of XI.

Isuru Udana is slowly losing the trust of the team and Dasun Shanaka relied on his variations for merely an over in the second T20I.

The hosts should field an unchanged playing XI.

Probable XI

Avishka Fernando, Minod Bhanuka (wk), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Isuru Udana, Dushmantha Chameera, Praveen Jayawickrama

India

India have added five net bowlers to the main squad and it would give Rahul Dravid some sort of cushioning in terms of having more than 11 players to choose from. However, that will not change their combination one bit and Bhuvi will bat at the number six position once again.

Navdeep Saini has had a tough tour and it is likely to end on an unfortunate note with him injuring his hand while fielding. He was not trusted to bowl even one over in the second T20 and the move could well have been dictated by just conditions but not now he will be sitting on the fence thinking what could have been on this tour of Sri Lanka.

Probable XI

Shikhar Dhawan (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devdutt Padikkal, Sanju Samson (wk), Nitish Rana, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Rahul Chahar, Chetan Sakariya, Varun Chakravarthy, R Sai Kishore

Fantasy XI

Avishka Fernando, Dasun Shanaka, Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Rahul Chahar

Captain: Shikhar Dhawan

Vice-captain: Sanju Samson

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