PUNE: Shubman Gill will be aiming to up the ante in the Powerplay overs to keep his nearest competitor Ruturaj Gaikwad at bay as a buoyant India team aims to come all guns blazing against Sri Lanka in its bid to clinch the series in the second T20I here on Thursday.
India won a last-ball thriller by two runs in the opener at Wankhede while defending a below-par score and skipper Hardik Pandya spoke about the benefits of overcoming difficult situations as the team moves forward.
While T20Is aren't of highest priority in an ODI World Cup year, Gill will not like to repeat the mistakes of his predecessors while aiming to cement his place in the T20I side after making a reputation for himself in the longer versions.
Gill's career strike-rate after playing 96 T20 games (mostly IPL and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy) is a modest 128.74 and, even on debut, he looked like a shaky starter.
While Gill has opened a lot for KKR and even was an integral part at the top of the order for Gujarat Titans, his game is primarily based on consolidation and then going for the kill.
However, this is the identical approach that had cost KL Rahul a place in the T20 squad. While skipper Pandya, like every other Indian captain in the recent past has promised a fearless approach at the top, he would need each of his player to walk the talk.
1/10:1st T20I: Dream debut for Shivam Mavi as India edge Sri Lanka
AP
2/10:Dream debut
<p>Debutant fast bowler Shivam Mavi took 4 wickets as India edged out Sri Lanka by 2 runs in a thrilling opening Twenty20 International.</p>AP
3/10:Shivam Mavi
<p>Mavi took 4/22 to help India bowl out Sri Lanka for 160 in a victory target of 163 and lead the three-match series 1-0 in Mumbai. </p>AP
4/10:Deepak Hooda
<p>Deepak Hooda (41) and Axar (31) set up victory with an unbeaten 68-run sixth-wicket stand that steered India to 162/5. </p>ANI
5/10:Ishan Kishan
<p>Ishan Kishan came out attacking as he hit Kasun Rajitha for a six and two fours in a 17-run opening over after Sri Lanka asked India to bat.</p>AFP
6/10:Lanka fight back
<p>India raced to 26 in the first two overs but the momentum dipped after losing their top and middle-order. </p>AFP
7/10:Suryakumar Yadav
<p>Karunaratne sent back Suryakumar Yadav who mistimed one of his audacious scoop shots to be caught at short fine leg. </p>AP
8/10:Wanindu Hasaranga
<p>India lost two more wickets and slipped to 77/4 when Wanindu Hasaranga got Kishan out for 37. </p>ANI
9/10:Hardik Pandya
<p>Left-arm quick Dilshan Madushanka added more misery to India batting as he got Hardik Pandya caught behind for 29. </p>PTI
10/10:Deepak Hooda
<p>Hooda, who hit four sixes in his 23-ball knock and was named man of the match, and the left-handed Axar then took charge. </p>AFPThe Indian T20 cupboard is brimming with talent with players likes Ruturaj and Rahul Tripathi cooling their heels in the dugout.
It is expected that both Gill and Ishan Kishan will get all three games in the series and an impactful Powerplay will also give the batters coming down the order more confidence to play fearless cricket.
The batting unit will like to score more runs in the second game and a lot will depend on the manner in which new vice-captain Suryakumar Yadav does what is known as "front-loading" (heavy-duty hitting in the first 10 overs) in cricketing jargon.
Surya was dismissed cheaply, one of his rare T20 failures after a golden 2022 but it was more to do with a bit of less pace off the surface unlike Australia and New Zealand where the 'blind scoop' over '45', would normally go for a six.
1/9:Paceman Shivam Mavi shines on T20I debut
2/9:Dream debut for Mavi!
<p>Pace sensation Shivam Mavi made a dream T20I debut for India as he picked up 4/22 to guide India to a thrilling 2-run win in the first T20I against Sri Lanka.</p>
3/9:Third best figures in an innings on debut for India
<p>Mavi's figures of 4/22 are the third best figures in an innings on debut for India. Barinder Sran (4/10) sits atop on the list followed by Pragyan Ojha (4/21).</p>
4/9:Four-wicket haul for Mavi
<p>Mavi got rid of Lankan batters Pathum Nissanka, Dhanajaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana in his four-wicket haul.</p>
5/9:Mavi bought for Rs 6 crore by Titans in IPL auction
<p>Mavi was bought by defending champions Gujarat Titans for Rs 6 crore at the IPL 2023 auction in December 2022.</p>
6/9:Mavi's maiden call-up
<p>Mavi earned his maiden call-up to India's T20I squad four days after being bought by 2022 IPL champions Gujarat Titans.</p>
7/9:Member of India’s 2018 U-19 World Cup winning squad
<p>Mavi, who was released by Kolkata Knight Riders after an ordinary IPL 2022, was part of India’s 2018 U-19 World Cup winning squad.</p>
8/9:Five wickets in six games for KKR in IPL 2022
<p>Mavi managed just five wickets in six games at an economy rate of 10.31 in IPL 2022.</p>
9/9:Mavi's fine run in Mushtaq Ali trophy
<p>Playing for Uttar Pradesh, Mavi took ten wickets in seven games at an economy rate of 6.64 in the 2022 Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 trophy.</p>But the smart operator that he is, Surya will find a way to manoeuvre against a Sri Lankan bowling attack which is more dependant on spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Mahesh Theekshana who accounted for two wickets, giving away only 51 runs in their cumulative eight overs.
Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel's batting effort was lauded by one and all and their utility is there to be seen.
Shivam Mavi's dream debut is certainly a big relief for skipper Pandya, who could be lauded for taking the new ball and bowling an incisive first spell alongside the newcomer.
Mavi (4/22), with his ability to swing the ball, and Umran Malik's (2/27) raw pace is welcome addition to this T20 playing XI and seem to be long-term investments going into the 2024 T20 World Cup.
However the worry will be leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who must have lost a bit of confidence after being ignored during the T20 World Cup.
In fact, Chahal went for 26 in his first two overs and the skipper couldn't let him complete his spell.
India: Hardik Pandya (Captain), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (VC), Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Mukesh Kumar
Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (C), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis (VC for ODIs), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (only for T20Is), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga (VC for T20Is), Ashen Bandara, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay (only for ODIs), Chamika Karunaratne, Dilshan Madushanka, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwanidu Fernando (only for ODIs), Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Thushara (only for T20Is)
