New captain Suryakumar Yadav hit an attacking half-century as India reached 213-7 against Sri Lanka in the first of three T20 internationals on Saturday.
Suryakumar, 33, hammered 58 off 26 balls at Kandy’s Pallekele in his first match as T20 skipper with India beginning a new era in the format after its T20 World Cup triumph last month.
Suryakumar, who was picked as leader ahead of Hardik Pandya — Rohit Sharma’s deputy in the World Cup — put on a key stand of 76 with wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who smashed 49.
Fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana took four wickets, including Suryakumar and Pant, but could not stop India from crossing 200 after a sloppy fielding effort by the home team.
Charith Asalanka was appointed new Sri Lanka T20 skipper after their early exit in the T20 World Cup and elected to field first after he won the toss.
Both Sri Lanka and India have got new coaches with Gautam Gambhir joining India and Sanath Jayasuriya named in an interim role for Sri Lanka.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, who smashed 40 off 21 balls, and Shubman Gill, who hammered 34, handed India an explosive start in a partnership of 74 in the first six overs.
The openers departed in the space of two deliveries with Dilshan Madushanka taking down Gill and leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga getting the left-handed Jaiswal stumped on his first ball.
Suryakumar steadied the innings and took on the opposition attack with eight fours and two sixes in a partnership with the left-handed Pant.
Pathirana, known as “Baby Malinga” for his slinging action and yorkers similar to former Sri Lanka quick Lasith Malinga, trapped Suryakumar lbw after the batsman’s 22-ball fifty.
Pathirana then bowled Pandya and Pant.
It is a new era for India in T20 cricket after Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirements from the format following their World Cup win in Barbados.
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