India won the toss and elected to field against Sri Lanka in the first T20 international of the three-match series at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday, 5 January.
The focus for Team India will be on the duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Shikhar Dhawan, who are returning from injuries, as India look to identify the best combination for the ICC T20 World Cup later this year in October.
The hosts will have 8 T20 internationals along with the Indian Premier League this year to get the team balance right before the multi-nation event in Australia.
Led by the talismanic Lasith Malinga, the visitors will look to give the hosts a tough fight and overcome their poor run of form against Australia where they ended up scoring 99, 117 and 142.
Playing XI
India: KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (c), Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav.
Sri Lanka: Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka fernando, Kusal Perera (wk), Niroshan Dickwella, Oshada Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka, Isuru Udana, Lasith Malinga (c), Lahiru Kumara/Kasun Rajitha, Lakshan Sandakan/Wanindu Hasaranga.
-Agencies
