Sri Lankan skipper Charith Asalanka won the toss and elected to field against India in the first of the three T20 internationals on Saturday.
The opener in Kandy is India’s first match under new skipper Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir — both taking over after the team’s T20 World Cup triumph last month.
Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirements from the format after India won the T20 World Cup final against South Africa in Barbados.
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Suryakumar said World Cup “is history” as he shares a “special relationship with former India opener Gambhir, who succeeded Rahul Dravid at the coaching helm.
The hosts have also few changes including captain Asalanka and interim coach Sanath Jayasuriya, who replaced Chris Silverwood following the country’s early exit from the T20 World Cup.
Asalanka, a batting all-rounder, expects “more consistency” from his team.