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India vs Sri Lanka: Key takeaways for Virat Kohli and his band from T20I series

India vs Sri Lanka: Key takeaways for Virat Kohli and his band from T20I series which the home side win comfortably 2-0

India vs Sri Lanka: Key takeaways

Bengaluru, January 11: India completed another series win at home when they vanquished Sri Lanka 2-0 in a T20I series. India under Virat Kohli registered wins in Indore and Pune after the first match at Guwahati was abandoned due to rain.

On the outset, it may appear that the series win may lack colour and the series itself an irrelevant one but India gained a few significant points from it. MyKhel looks at the key takeaways.

1. Return of Shikhar Dhawan

1. Return of Shikhar Dhawan

Dhawan had missed the home limited-over series against West Indies due to a knee injury and KL Rahul impressed massively as an opener in his absence. But resting Rohit Sharma helped the selectors give a go for Dhawan once he recuperated. At Indore, the left-handed opener looked patchy and struggled for his timing. But at Pune, Dhawan was better organised and made a 32-ball 50. Now, the team management has this pleasant headache of accommodating Rohit Sharma, Rahul and Dhawan.

2. Bumrah returns

2. Bumrah returns

Perhaps, Jasprit Bumrah's return was the most eagerly awaited part of this series. The pacer had a back injury and had missed the home series against South Africa, Bangladesh and West Indies. The other Indian fast bowlers had performed admirably that India at no stage missed his presence dearly. But the cutting edge and X-Factor that Bumrah provides were not there. Bumrah did not disappoint either. His effort - two wickets in two matches - did not scorch the field but he bowled with control and pace in Indore and Pune (series economy rate of 6.16) and without any discomfort, boosting the India's confidence ahead of a long and important season.

3. Saini impresses

3. Saini impresses

Navdeep Saini was the standout Indian bowler in the series. He took five wickets, joint highest with Shardul Thakur, and his economy of 5.87 was the best among all the bowlers. More than those impressive figures, the way Saini bowled was a revelation. He has already proved his ability to bowl at a high pace, occasionally drifting over 150 clicks, and in this series Saini underlined his growing maturity varying his lengths and pace to give no respite to Lankan batsmen.

4. Thakur comes of age

4. Thakur comes of age

Shardul Thakur got a chance because of an injury to Deepak Chahar, one of India's first-choice bowlers in white ball formats. But how well the Mumbai pacer has used the chance. He took five wickets from two matches at an impressive economy rate of 6 and showed his ability as a lower-order batsman. His unbeaten 22, amassed at a strike-rate of 275, had a big role in powering India to a 200+ total at Pune in the series-decider. It has given the powers that be another option even when Chahar makes his return.

Story first published: Saturday, January 11, 2020, 14:20 [IST]
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