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Focused firmly on the World T20 at home this March and April, MS Dhoni’s team start the first of two preparatory series on Tuesday in the opening T20 against Sri Lanka in Pune.
With this, they begin a three match series in the shortest format that wraps up on 14 February and then carry on to the Asia Cup in Bangladesh.
It has given us time to get into the groove as in different formats the requirements are different. I feel it will give us time to adjust. The last three games in Australia (that India won for a 3-0 sweep) will also help us. And the conditions here will be exactly what we will get in the ICC World T20.MS Dhoni
A 3-0 series sweep against Australia and MS Dhoni’s India had the added surprise of climbing seven points to the top of the ICC’s rankings in the format. To hold on to the top spot though, they will need to win the 3-match home series.
No Kohli vs Sri Lanka
The hosts will definitely miss Virat Kohli who had been rested to focus on the long season ahead. The Test captain though was in top form Down under – both in the T20 sweep as well as the 4-1 ODI series defeat.
MS Dhoni though made it clear that Suresh Raina would not fall victim to Kohli’s absence, and instead keep his number four spot.
It did cross our minds (to use Raina at no. 3) but it will be slightly better if he (Raina) bats at the position in which he will most likely bat in the World T20. We need to give him that exposure as we are a team, which doesn’t play many T20s.MS Dhoni
The batting order though won’t be in much need of any massive reinforcement with Rohit Sharma in century-making form and Shikhar Dhawan to providing some able assistance.
Picked in this series, Manish Pandey may have a point to prove after being dropped from the squads for the WT20 and the Asia Cup despite a match-winning century in the fifth ODI against Australia in January.
Bowling Picks
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is in a situation similar to Pandey’s. Picked for these three games, he’s not in the squads for the Asia Cup or World T20 squad.
With the matches being held in conditions favouring the slow bowlers more than the pacemen, India are expected to go in with their regulars Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, along with the Harbhajan Singh who was a mere spectator in the 3 matches down under.
The one player who will have a lot many focussing on him is Pawan Negi. A surprise selection first for this India-SL series, he was subsequently selected for the WT20 and the Asia Cup as well. Add to that the massive Rs 8.5 crore pay day he had in the IPL auction, he is expected to get at least one game in the next week.
Depleted Sri Lanka
The already depleted Sri Lanka team suffered another blow with left arm fast bowler Binura Fernando being ruled out of the T20 series against India after sustaining a hamstring injury.
Left-arm fast bowler Binura Fernando injured his hamstring while bowling in the nets yesterday. He has been ruled out of the entire series. He will be replaced by Shaminda Eranga.Dinesh Chandimal, Sri Lankan Captain
The squad is already without regular T20 and Test captains Lasith Malinga and Mathews, both recovering from injuries, plus a few other experienced players.
All-rounder Tillakaratne Dilshan is also nursing a finger injury and will miss tomorrow’s game but is expected to be available for the second match at Ranchi on February 12.
Squads
India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Ashish Nehra, Harbhajan Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Pawan Negi.
Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (Captain), Seekuge Prasanna, Milinda Siriwardana, Danushka Gunathilaka, Thisara Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Asela Gunaratne, Chamara Kapugedera, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilhara Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Binura Fernando, Sachithra Senanayake, Jeffrey Vandersay, Niroshan Dickwella.
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