Focus on Mathews, Bumrah in T20I series opener
View(s):The focus will be on the returning stars Jasprit Bumrah and Angelo Mathews as India and Sri Lanka lock horns in the first T20I of an important three-match series in Guwahati.
The series will bear added significance, not least because it offers vital preparation for both sides of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia, but since it also serves as a testing ground for them to refine their combinations.
Angelo Mathews during Sri Lanka's training session in Guwahati yesterday
As far as testing goes, the series will be especially crucial for Jasprit Bumrah and Angelo Mathews, both of whom are returning after a hiatus. While the experienced Mathews had been axed from the Sri Lankan T20I side after a string of poor performances in mid-2018, India fast bowler Bumrah is set to return from a back injury he suffered in August last year.
Bumrah was reported to have been in good rhythm in the nets in lead up to the series. One of the most lethal bowlers in world cricket across formats with various crafty skills in the shortest form, India will hope that he finds form from game one.
Having featured in 72 T20Is scoring 1055 runs at a reasonable average of 27.05, Mathews lends solidity to a promising but sometimes frail Sri Lankan batting line-up. Hee will perhaps want to work on his strike-rate, which currently reads 118.14 in the shortest format. Batting was an area of special concern for Sri Lanka on their tour of Australia late last year – they lost 3-0 – and they will hope that the return of Mathews can help fix some of those problems.
Similarly, India will hope that Bumrah’s return can bolster their bowling attack, which showed a propensity to leak runs at times during the recent series against West Indies, which India still won 2-1 on their batting might, with captain Virat Kohli producing two masterful performances.
The teams last faced each other in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 when India secured a comfortable seven-wicket win in their chase of 265. Mathews scored a fine 113, but was outshone by Indian openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma, both of whom registered centuries.
As for T20Is, the teams last played each other in a tri-series match in March 2018, with an inexperienced Indian side securing a six-wicket chase of 153. Fast bowler Shardul Thakur took 4/27 to help restrain Sri Lanka.
Conditions
Only two internationals have been played at the venue and the pitch has seemed to play well for batsmen, while still provide enough support for bowlers. Weather in Guwahati is forecast to be cool and there are a few showers on the radar for the early evening but things may clear up in time for the game’s scheduled start.