New Delhi: Team India’s new era under head coach Gautam Gambhir and T20I skipper Gautam Gambhir got off to the best possible start. The newly-appointed coach and skipper masterminded India’s 3-0 T20I series sweep in Sri Lanks to begin the new journey of the Men in Blue which started following the end of a successful stint of Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma. The two Rs bid farewell after guiding India to a historic T20 World Cup win in June.
Surya and Gambhir picked up the baton and helped India make the perfect start as world champions. The Men in Blue whitewashed an inexperienced Sri Lankan side 3-0 to notch up their third series win against the Islanders. Meanwhile, the hosts would be disappointed with the performances, especially in the first and the third T20I, which they lost from winning positions.
Among a plethora of takeaways from India’s series win in Sri Lanka, here are the major talking points.
Surya the captain as fearless as the batter
Pallekele: India’s Rinku Singh with captain Suryakumar Yadav celebrates the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Ramesh Mendis during the 3rd T20 International cricket match between India and Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, in Pallekele, Tuesday, July 30, 2024.(PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)
Suyakumar Yadav is well-renowned for his fearless batting approach. No matter what the situation is, the world number one T20I batter always backs his abilities and plays bold and courageous cricket. That positive and fearless approach was clearly visible in his leadership in his first series as captain of the Indian cricket team.
Surya was never afraid of making bold decisions. When chips were down in the first and third T20Is and Sri Lanka looked destined for victories, Surya made unconventional choices by trusting his instincts and not worrying about the result.
In the first T20I, Surya brought part-time spinner Riyan Parag into the attack and his decision proved to be a turning point. Parag’s sensational spell of 3 wickets in just 8 balls turned the game on its head as India took a 1-0 lead.
In the final T20I, when Sri Lanka needed just 9 runs in the last two overs, Surya again made a funky decision to give Rinku Singh the ball in the penultimate over and brought himself on to bowl in the final over. The move paid off again as both Rinku and SKY bagged two wickets each to force the match into a Super Over, which was over in just four balls.
Is Washington Sundar’s time finally here?
Pallekele: India’s Washington Sundar with teammates celebrates the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka during the 3rd T20 International cricket match between India and Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, in Pallekele, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)
Whenever Sundar dons the India jersey, he makes things happen. Getting the chance in the final T20I, Sundar grabbed the opportunity with both hands with a superb all-round performance. He first contributed 25 crucial runs down the order to take India to a respectable total of 137 and then bowled a great spell of 2 for 23 in four overs to strangle the SL batting order.
Given the responsibility of bowling the Super Over, Sundar repaid the faith by conceding just two runs to set up a comfortable win for the Men in Blue.
Sundar is not a flash in the pan. He finished as India’s highest wicket-taker on the Zimbabwe tour earlier this month, finishing with eight wickets.
Another chance goes begging for Samson
Pallekele: India’s Sanju Samson walks off the ground after his dismissal during the 3rd T20 International cricket match between India and Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, in Pallekele, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)
It was the same old story for the Kerala batter, who missed another opportunity to make a mark on the international level. In a cutthroat environment, where plenty of talent is waiting in the wings to get a chance to represent the nation, Samson’s two ducks in a row don’t bode well for him. A golden duck in the 2nd T20I followed by another zero in 4 balls might jeopardise Samson’s career, which is yet to get going 10 years after making his international debut.
IND vs SL, T20I series: Check out the major talking points from Team India’s dominant T20I series win against Sri Lanka. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
