IND vs SL 1st T20: Can Hardik Pandya-led team India start their new year with a win?

The T20 team for India will be captained by Hardik Pandya and feature young players like Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul won’t play in the upcoming T20I series because the attention will be on the 50-over format since 2023 is the year of the ODI World Cup.

After the T20Is conclude on January 10, the trio will turn their attention to the ODI series against Sri Lanka.

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FIRST T20 DETAILS – 

When: January 3, 2023 at 7 PM local time
Where: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

The India-Sri Lanka T20I series, which begins on Monday, is theoretically an imbalance between the No. 1 and No. 8 teams. India has a staggering 11-2 advantage at home and a 15-4 head-to-head advantage in bilateral matches, making them the clear favourites statistically as well. Additionally, Sri Lanka has never defeated India in a bilateral T20I series.

However, the Dasun Shanaka-led team recently won the Asia Cup after defeating an Indian team that was playing at full strength enroute to the UAE final. Consider that victory a surprise; nothing in this format can be taken for granted, and the Sri Lankans are hoping to get a sense of the conditions they will face when competing in the 50-over World Cup later this year.