India vs Sri Lanka, 2nd T20I: After Guwahati Dampener, India-Sri Lanka Prepare For Crucial Indore Clash

With the first T20I between India and Sri Lanka in Guwahati abandoned due to a damp pitch, the two teams will travel to Indore for the second match of the series on Tuesday. The match now takes on more importance, as a win for either team will ensure that they won't lose the series. Jasprit Bumrah, who is back in the Indian squad after a four-month absence due to a stress fracture, had to wait to make his return to the field after the match at the Barsapara Stadium was called off, and will be raring to go at the Holkar Stadium. The focus also remains on Shikhar Dhawan, who is also returning from injury.

While Rohit Sharma, who has been rested for this series, is a sure-shot for one of the opening slots in the team, there is fierce competition between Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul -- who will partner each other against Sri Lanka -- for the second opener's slot.

While Dhawan didn't quite fire in 2019, KL Rahul took his opportunities in the shortest format very well, scoring 62 and 91 in the first and third T20Is against the West Indies in December.

Kuldeep Yadav was picked ahead of Yuzvendra Chahal in the abandoned match in Guwahati and is likely to be selected for the Indore T20I as well, giving Bumrah a chance to go above Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin to become India's leading wicket-taker in the format.

Ashwin and Chahal have 52 T20I wickets so far while Bumrah is hot on their heels with 51 scalps to his name.

Last Wednesday, Sri Lanka named their 16-man squad for India tour, recalling former skipper Angelo Mathews after a 16-month absence from the shortest form.

Mathews played his last T20 international against South Africa in August 2018 when he led Sri Lanka to a three-wicket victory but failed to impress at the crease, scoring a duck after facing three balls.

Squads:

India: Virat Kohli (C), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Sanju Samson, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shivam Dube, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini and Washington Sundar.

Sri Lanka: Lasith Malinga (C), Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Perera, Niroshan Dickwella, Dhananjaya de Silva, Isuru Udana, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Oshada Fernando, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Kusal Mendis, Lakshan Sandakan and Kasun Rajitha.

The match starts at 7pm IST.

Topics mentioned in this article

India vs Sri Lanka, 2020 India vs Sri Lanka, 2nd T20I India Cricket Team Sri Lanka Cricket Team Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore Jasprit Bumrah Shikhar Dhawan Cricket