A report published in The Times Of India states that, as the crowds get ready to cheer India taking on Sri Lanka at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, the night of April 02 in 2011, captures the mind. It was that historic event that happened on this same ground when the Men in Blue defeated Sri Lanka and brought home the ODI World Cup for the second time.
This Tuesday, as India prepares to take on their familiar opponent Sri Lanka during the opening T2OI game in a series of three matches, this historic venue is once again ready to see the battle. It must also be noted that the Wankhede Stadium shall be hosting a T2OI game for the first time after a gap of three years. It is expected that the stadium shall see a full house and it shall also begin a new T2OI era for Indian cricket. The crowds are excited about this battle.
Currently, as per the T2OI rankings, India is in the first position while the Sri Lankans are in number eight. After having a very ordinary year in cricket, things are going to change during this T2OI ODI series. The star all-rounder from India, Hardik Pandya is about to hold the reigns as a full-time captain of the Indian men’s T20I cricket team. The previous three seniors Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul had all lost their posts from the captaincy.
One must also not forget that the T20I team of India now has a brand new vice-captain too. Surya Kumar Yadav is set to justify his new role. Surya Kumar also had a great year with white ball cricket in 2022 which had nominated him as the best player in ICC men’s T2OI cricket. This series against Sri Lanka shall be very memorable for him as he will play in front of his home crowd for the first time after becoming the vice-captain for India in T2OI cricket.
In 2022, Pandya as a stand-in-captain won India two T2OI series, the first in Ireland and the second in New Zealand. But this is the first time that Pandya shall be appearing as the full-time captain of India’s T2OI team. It must also be said that the present committee of Indian cricket has removed a few senior players making way for more energetic younger players. Team India is in the process of building a very fresh and young core team for the T20I World Cup in 2024. It would take place in the USA and West Indies.
During the previous T2OI World Cup, the biggest mistake that India made was going for a conservative approach instead of being aggressive and carefree. Now a lot depends on the shoulders of Pandya to rebuild the team to its lost spirit and do magic in this T20I series. Pandya is also set to face the Sri Lankans and is up for showing the face of fearless cricket to the Sri Lankan side. He said that India would not require sledding but the body language in playing fearless cricket shall keep the Sri Lankans intimidated.