This is what Lankan coach said on India’s chances in the tri-series

Chandika
Chandika Hathurusingha is the coach of Sri Lanka cricket team. Image Source: twitter

XtraTime Web Desk: Though the Indian cricket team will play without their six key players in the Nidahas Trophy which is set to start from tomorrow, but Sri Lanka coach Chandika Hathurusingha feels that India is still favourites to win the T20I series despite of the absence of some key players like skipper Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

The Men in Blue outplayed the Lankans in their last couple of bilateral series.

“If you go by the rankings, India is the top team in the tournament, so they always start ahead of the other teams,” Hathurusingha said on the eve of the tournament.

He added, “Whoever plays for India, it is still a very strong team. We have to start well because we haven’t been doing well at home. With Bangladesh, because of the last series, we probably have a little edge over them mentally.”

India and hosts Sri Lanka kick off the tournament on Tuesday.

Although Sri Lanka have recently showed improvement in Bangladesh, their record against India is woeful. India have won the seven most-recent T20s between these sides, and are ranked third in the world, while Sri Lanka are eighth.

Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni have been rested for the Nidahas Trophy. Rohit Sharma was named stand-in captain of India’s 15-man squad, with Shikhar Dhawan his deputy.

India also rested several other limited-overs regulars in fast bowlers Bhuvneshwar and Jasprit Bumrah, wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav and all-rounder Hardik Pandya.