India vs Sri Lanka 2023: T20 Series Best Predicted Playing 11 for Both Teams
Hardik Pandya to lead as we look at the strongest predicted playing 11 for the 2023 India vs Sri Lanka 1st T20.
The 2023 season for Team India begins with Hardik Pandya as the leader of the game’s shortest format. There’s no official word on the future of Rohit Sharma, the Captain in the T20I format, but for now, we can assume he has been rested, and his T20I future is still intact like Virat Kohli.
But it’s great to see Team India play the T20 format under the leadership of Hardik Pandya, who has also been given the responsibility of Vice Captaincy ahead of KL Rahul for the ODI series vs Sri Lanka. It’s a dawn of a new era for an ICC tournament struggling team.
Team India begin their 2023 campaign with a 3-match T20 series vs Sri Lanka. Most of the senior players are rested, so it gives a great opportunity to the young ones to prove their mettle. Team India have selected a 16-member squad, but given Team India’s strategy, not everyone would get an opportunity to play.
So, which players may India consider for the T20 Series and effectively 1st T20I vs Sri Lanka? Well, let’s look at the best predicted playing 11 for Team India for the 2023 T20 series vs Sri Lanka. Before that, let’s look at the official squad for Team India for the T20 Series. Meanwhile, as per the leading website, Betway, India are favourite to win the 1st T20 with odds at 1.15.
India vs Sri Lanka 2023: Official T20 Series Squad for Team India
Batters: Rahul Tripathi, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill & Suryakumar Yadav [vc]
Wks: Ishan Kishan & Sanju Samson
All-rounders: Axar Patel, Deepak Hooda, Hardik Pandya [c] & Washington Sundar
Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Mukesh Kumar, Shivam Mavi, Umran Malik & Yuzvendra Chahal
Match Details:
Tournament: India vs Sri Lanka 2023
Type: 1st T20I
Where: Mumbai
When: January 03, 7 pm IST
Team India’s Playing 11
Batters
Team India selected three openers for the T20 series in the form of Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Ishan Kishan. Of the three, Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan have been in the squad for the previous tours as well. So, expect Hardik to play Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan as the openers, to begin with.
The middle-order should see World Number 1 T20I batter Suryakumar Yadav at 3, wicket-keeper Sanju Samson at 4 and Captain Hardik Pandya at 5. This is an ideal batting line-up for India given the available team. Unfortunately, Rahul Tripathi will have to wait for his chance to debut for Team India.
Finishers
Talking about the finisher role, India should play Deepak Hooda at 6 and Washington Sundar at 7. Both shall play the role of spin-bowling all-rounders for Team India. There could be a temptation to play Axar Patel at 6, but Hooda and Sundar could be preferred above him for the time being. Playing Hooda ahead of Tripathi also gives 7 bowling options to Team India, which is a rarity.
Bowlers
Talking about the bowlers, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, and Yuzvendra Chahal are sure-shot starters for Team India. The only choice that India will have to make is select one between Umran Malik and Axar Patel. Now, this is completely upon the kind of pitch that we could see in the 1st T20I. Usually Mumbai pitch benefits pacers more, so Umran Malik as the third pacer seems an ideal bet.
India vs Sri Lanka 2023 – T20 Series Predicted Playing 11 for India:
Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson [wk], Hardik Pandya [c], Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik & Yuzvendra Chahal
Sri Lanka shall most probably stick to a similar playing 11 that we had seen in the T20 World Cup 2022. With injury-linked players returning, Sri Lanka shall most probably see Dilshan Madhushanka, Pramod Madhushan, and Lahiru Kumara as the three pacers.
India vs Sri Lanka 2023 – T20 Series Predicted Playing 11 for Sri Lanka:
Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis [wk], Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka [c], Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madhushanka, Pramod Madhushan & Lahiru Kumara
The T20 format may not be of utmost priority for India this year, so we should see a lot of new players playing for India before a core is formed by the end of 2023. Meanwhile, here’s the schedule for Team India for the 2023 T20I series vs Sri Lanka.
India vs Sri Lanka 2023 Official T20I Series Schedule:
- 1st T20I – Jan 03 @ Mumbai // 7 pm IST
- 2nd T20I – Jan 05 @ Pune // 7 pm IST
- 3rd T20I – Jan 07 @ Rajkot // 7 pm IST
Thanks for reading! What’s your playing 11 for Team India for the 2023 1st T20 vs Sri Lanka? Please email your comments to business@cricalytics.com
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Adesh Kothari is the founder of AK4Tsay1 Cricalytics with over 20 years of experience following Cricket.
Cricket to him is like what Football is to Lionel Messi, Singing is to Lata Mangeshkar, Dancing is to Michael Jackson, and Acting is to Clint Eastwood.
Besides his effervescent love for Cricket, Adesh is an MBA by qualification.
