Newly appointed Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka elected to bowl first after winning the toss against India in the opener of the T20I series at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.
Former skipper and hard-hitting left-hander Kusal Perera returned to the Sri Lanka side after missing the recent T20 World Cup. Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka were also brought into the team.
This is also the first game for Suryakumar Yadav as the full-time T20I captain and the first assignment for Gautam Gambhir after taking over from Rahul Dravid as the head coach of Team India.
Sri Lanka Playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (w), Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka ©, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka
India Playing XI: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav ©, Rishabh Pant (w), Riyan Parag, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj
