Last Updated on 5 months by Charbel Coorey

IND vs SL 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report | IND vs SL 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | India vs Sri Lanka 1st T20I Key Players | Lucknow Pitch Report

The cricket world continues to rotate at a rapid rate, with India and Sri Lanka going head-to-head less than a week after their last assignments.

Sri Lanka were in Australia merely four days ago, where they picked up a morale-boosting, consolation victory in the final T20I. They displayed positive signs right throughout the five-match series, which they will be aiming to build on in this three-match assignment. However, Wanindu Hasaranga could be out of the entire series due to COVID-19, and Kusal Mendis and Maheesh Theekshana have been reportedly struck down by injuries.

Combine those absentees with the fact that Sri Lanka are winless in their last seven completed T20Is in India, and it is an even tougher ask. India are without stars of their own, but their depth continues to shine through. Also, the fact they won matches against the West Indies when batting first is cause for encouragement, as this was an area they struggled in badly in last year’s World Cup.

Possible Playing 11

Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Chahar will miss this series due to injury. Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Shardul Thakur are rested. Rohit Sharma batted at four in the third T20I vs West Indies, so it remains to be seen if he opens today.

India: 1. Ruturaj Gaikwad, 2. Rohit Sharma (c), 3. Shreyas Iyer, 4. Ishan Kishan (wk), 5. Sanju Samson/Deepak Hooda, 6. Venkatesh Iyer, 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. Harshal Patel, 9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10. Yuzvendra Chahal, 11. Jasprit Bumrah

Kusal Mendis and Maheesh Theekshana are reportedly out of the first T20I at least with injuries. Wanindu Hasaranga tested positive for COVID-19 again, and could miss the whole series.

Sri Lanka: 1. Pathum Nissanka, 2. Dinushka Gunathilaka, 3. Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 4. Charith Asalanka, 5. Janith Liyanage, 6. Dasun Shanaka (c), 7. Chamika Karunaratne, 8. Dushmantha Chameera, 9. Praveen Jayawickrama, 10. Jeffrey Vandersay, 11. Lahiru Kumara/Binura Fernando 

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

India:

• Surprisingly, Rohit Sharma averages just 22.33 in 15 T20Is vs Sri Lanka. He does have a century against them, and is capable of firing. Also, Rohit scored 111* off 61 balls in his only T20 at Lucknow.
• Expect Shreyas Iyer to occupy the number three spot in the absence of Virat Kohli. Shreyas was looking good in the final T20I against West Indies, before giving his wicket away for a 16-ball 25.
• It’s a big opportunity for Ruturaj Gaikwad. He scored 21 and 14 in his T20Is vs Sri Lanka last year, before a wonderful IPL where he scored the second-most runs behind Faf du Plessis.
• Venkatesh Iyer had an excellent series against West Indies in the finishing role. The all-rounder struck 92 runs at a strike rate of 184.00, and was dismissed just once in three matches. He also chipped in with two wickets.
• Yuzvendra Chahal has the most wickets in IND-SL T20Is. The leg-spinner has taken 15 wickets in just seven matches against them.
• Jasprit Bumrah is back and looking to fire right away. He concedes just 6.17 runs per over vs Sri Lanka, with eight wickets in nine T20Is.
• Harshal Patel took the most wickets for India in the recent series against West Indies (5). His ability to bowl at the death will always mean he is a chance to take wickets, particularly against Sri Lanka’s inexperienced middle order.

Sri Lanka:

• Pathum Nissanka scored the most runs of any player in the recent AUS-SL series (187, avg. 36.80). He will be key in holding the innings together for Sri Lanka.
• Charith Asalanka had a disappointing series in Australia, where he averaged just 12.80. He had a superb World Cup last year, and struck 44 off 26 balls in his only T20I vs India before the tournament.
• Skipper Dasun Shanaka has a key role to play. He averages just 13.55 with the bat in 15 matches vs India (149 runs), but has nine wickets in eight innings. Can he deliver with bat and ball?
• Dushmantha Chameera has some good numbers against India. The seamer, who took seven wickets in five matches in the Australia series, has taken 14 scalps in 12 matches at an average of 23.36 and economy rate of 7.46.

Stats and Facts

• Head-to-head: Matches 22, India 14, Sri Lanka 7, 1 N/R.
• India have won the last seven completed T20Is vs Sri Lanka at home.
• Sri Lanka beat India 2-1 last year, but the Indian squad was decimated by COVID-19.
• Ishan Kishan struck at just 85 in the series vs West Indies. Big game for him.

Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow Pitch Report and Weather

A warm day is forecast for Lucknow. There is a chance of haze and dew in the evening, so expect the captain who wins the toss to choose to chase.

Lucknow played host to 10 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches in November 2021. The average first innings score was 153.5, with both the team chasing and setting a score winning five matches each.

Dream11 Prediction

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time.

Option 1:

Option 2:

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

• Wicket-keepers: Ishan Kishan
• Batsmen: Rohit Sharma, Pathum Nissanka
• All-rounders: Venkatesh Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja
• Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Harshal Patel, Dushmantha Chameera

Match Prediction

India to win.