IND vs SL: With Gaikwad out, Pant and Pandya back, what will be India’s likely starting XI in T20Is under the new skipper and new coach, Gambhir?

IND vs SL: India’s tour of Sri Lanka will be Gautam Gambhir’s first major international assignment, and he will step on the ground alongside a new Indian team led by Suryakumar Yadav.

India recently announced the squad on the 18th of July, and the squad already had many surprises in itself, the biggest of them being Ruturaj Gaikwad, who dropped from the T20I team. Rohit Sharma likely made a return to the ODI side alongside veteran Virat Kohli on the urge of Gambhir, as the senior pros kept their new coach’s word.

India has dropped off the likes of optional openers Abhishek Sharma and Ruturaj Gaikwad; hence, Gambhir now only has the likes of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal in the position. The middle order is revived from the T20 World Cup squad; however, Virat’s No. 3 position is still debatable.

India’s Likely Starting XI in T20s:

Openers: Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal

Gill has been named the vice captain of the Indian side in both formats of white-ball cricket, surpassing several senior players. This decision by the BCCI proclaimed that Gill will now be a constant for India across all formats, and looking at Jaiswal’s undeniable form in T20s, he is likely to pair alongside the new young vice captain.

Middle-order: Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Rinku Singh

Including the vital top-order position of No. 3 in the middle-order, Gambhir will have his most experienced bunch of players in for it. Though initially it was thought that Gaikwad would be featured at No. 3, replacing the legend Virat Kohli, Gambhir, in his very first outing, dropped the aspiring cricketer from the team.

Now, hopefully, with Pant’s return, he is most likely to come in at No. 3 for the Men in Blue, as he was seen in the position for India in the T20 World Cup. Next at no. 4 would be India’s newly appointed skipper, Suryakumar Yadav, who has been India’s and probably the world’s best T20I batter and was recently dethroned by Head for the no. 1 ranking.

Now that Hardik Pandya is back, he is likely to come in at No. 5. However, there is immense competition for the 6th spot, as Rinku Singh is India’s talisman in the position. However, there are the likes of Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, and youngster Riyan Parag for the same.

This will be up to Gambhir as to who he wants to place in his starting XI, with Rinku and Dube being the forerunners. Parag is not likely to feature.

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Lower-middle order and bowlers: Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Khaleel Ahmed, Arshdeep Singh, and Ravi Bishnoi

Axar Patel can now be considered a constant for the Indian side as a spin bowling all-rounder, as he takes up Ravindra Jadeja’s role in the side. Equally efficient at hitting the ball cleanly, Axar has shown he can often be promoted up the order in difficult times.

Washington Sundar, the man of the series from the Zimbabwe tour, is likely to feature in the Men in Blue side; Bishnoi will be doubtful as that would land three spinners in the side. However, with Pandya bowling his full spell and Dube also having a hand, India can feature their spin options to the limit.

With missing ace pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Khaleel Ahmed, and Arshdeep Singh leading India’s pace attack, they have World Cup campaigner Md. Siraj, but under Gambhir, he would not have many chances to feature. The left-armers will produce the quality needed by the Indian team at both the powerplay and the death overs.

India’s likely Starting XI:

1. Shubman Gill (vc)
2. Yashasvi Jaiswal
3. Rishabh Pant (wk)
4. Suryakumar Yadav
5. Hardik Pandya
6. Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube
7. Axar Patel
8. Washington Sundar
9. Ravi Bishnoi
10. Khaleel Ahmed
11. Arshdeep Singh