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SL vs IND | 2nd T20I: Amid Covid scare, Sri Lanka look to square series as India struggles to field XI

Abhishek Singh

A lot has changed since the first T20I in this three-match series with India's Krunal Pandya testing positive for Covid-19 and eight other Indian players, identified as close contacts of him being disallowed to take further part in the series even after testing negative for Covid-19 in the RT-PCR tests. 

With a comfortable win in the first T20I of the three-match series against Sri Lanka, the Indian team was looking to sweep the series in the second match at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. However, this sudden development has now forced Indian management led by coach Rahul Dravid to look for XI players, especially batters to fill in the positions. 

The Lankans on the other hand would look to end their batting woes and with support from their bowlers, search for the victory which would keep the series alive for them. 

Forced changes for Team India

The confirmation from BCCI regarding eight players being in close contact with the senior Pandya means that India would have to field an almost different XI in the second T20I from the one that played in the first game. What's more painful is the fact that reports suggest Hardik Pandya, Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan could be the four with the other two prominent names being Devdutt Padikkal and Krishnappa Gowtham. 

There is no clarity about other two names, however, these six were the players who would have defiantly been a part of the XI in the second T20I even if only Krunal had gotten out due to Covid. Now with so many changes to make and so few options available, Dravid has no other options but to field a compromised XI with hardly any batting depth.

However, in contrast, this also presents an opportunity to players such as Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rahul Chahar and Nitish Rana, along with Manish Pandey who were waiting for opportunities to prove their mettle. 

SriLanka need to bat better to win

The target of 165 wasn’t a daunting one and the Indian bowlers weren’t bowling at any express speed or with some magnificent precision either. Yet the Sri Lankan batters, getting as close as 42 requiring from three overs with six wickets in hand, lost the game by a huge margin of 38 runs, that too after getting all out. 

The batsmen need to take responsibility for their shots and when there is a partnership like there was between Charith Asalanka and Ashen Bandara, the partner who is unable to hit shots must rotate the strike. Basics like these must be cleared among the Sri Lankan batters to then try and gauge their target. 

Sri Lanka vs India: Match Details

Match Number- 02

Date and Time: July 28, 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 Colombo has so far been slow and has helped the spinners and those bowlers who have applied change of pace. It will most likely remain the same way. 

Weather Forecast

The weather at Colombo has disturbed a few games, but never resulted in a washout. There are chances of rain even on Wednesday, July 28, however, the rain would most likely take place in the daytime and from 08:00 pm onwards the precipitation chances decrease below 20%. 

Team News

Sri Lanka

The Sri Lankan team might bring in a few changes which include bringing in the likes of Bahanuka Rajapaksa who batted exceedingly well in the third ODI but wasn’t given a chance in the 1st T20I. Apart from that, Praveen Jayawickrama might also be tried in place of Akila Dananjaya who was too expensive in the first game. 

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 would be forced to make at least eight changes in the squad after nine players have been disallowed to make any further participation in the series having been identified as close contacts of Covid-19 positive Krunal Pandya.

Probable XI

Shikhar Dhawan (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson (wk), Nitish Rana, Manish Pandey, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rahul Chahar, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal, Varun Chakravarthy 

Fantasy XI

Avishka Fernando, Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Sanju Samson (wk), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Varun Chakravarthy

Captain Shikhar Dhawan 

Vice-Captain Charith Asalanka

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