India vs Sri Lanka T20I Series: Three Indian players to keep an eye on

India resume their cricketing calendar on January 3 with a limited-overs series against Sri Lanka at home.

The men in blue will be playing 3-match T20I series, followed by an ODI series of the same number of matches.

There have been some radical changes to the India T20I side with the likes of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli all omitted from the squad. The three matches will be played on January 3, 5 and 7.

Hardik Pandya is set to captain the India side in the T20 matches with a host of youngsters also selected. Here we take a look at three India players who may well emerge as key performers in the upcoming T20 series-

1. Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan scored a fantastic double-hundred in the last ODI match against Bangladesh and will be looking to continue his form with the willow. The Southpaw has scored 589 runs for India in the T20Is with a decent strike rate of 129.

He is set to be in the first team and will be opening along with either Ruturaj Gaikwad or Shubman Gill. He is a destructive batter who is known for his hard-hitting in the powerplay and beyond. Kishan is definitely a player to keep an eye on, especially because of his sublime form in home conditions. The youngster has already scored a hundred for Jharkhand in Ranji Trophy against Kerala and is tipped to fair well in the upcoming series.

2. Shivam Mavi

Shivam Mavi has got his reward for consistent performances in the domestic circuit. The pacey bowler has picked up wickets across all formats in the domestic arena for Uttar Pradesh, and will look to replicate that if he wears the India jersey.

The24-year-old has 13 wickets to his name in two Ranji matches this season, and has been a top performer in the limited overs trophies this year as well. He also bagged a mega deal in the IPL auction, when Gujarat Titans bought him for INR 6 crore, making him the most expensive uncapped player this year. Mavi's raw pace and accuracy can trouble the Lanka batters and he is definitely to keep an eye on.

3. Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson has got the call-up for India yet again. Despite scoring runs in his limited opportunities, Samson has often been overlooked in India set up in the last couple of years or so.

He was in the squad for the New Zealand T20s but never got a chance. Lack of chances in the international arena has been a massive stumbling block for Samson and the player will be hoping 2023 is going to bring a change to that.

It will be a wild guess to predict if the Kerala batter will be given an opportunity or not in the upcoming matches against Sri Lanka. But Samson is coming to the team with form on his side. The Rajasthan Royals player has scored 284 runs in Ranji Trophy so far with 14 sixes, most sixes hit by a player so far this season. He will be aiming to rack on runs if he gets an opportunity. His ability to play flawlessly in the middle overs, especially against spin can make him a candidate in the middle order of the Indian batting lineup. Hopefully, the team management understands that.