India are looking to seal a third consecutive series win at home in the run up to the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year as captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bowl first in the second T20I against Sri Lanka in Dharamsala on Saturday. 

India have fielded the same eleven that secured a 62-run win in the first T20I in Lucknow on Thursday, which was their 10th consectuive victory in the format since losing to New Zealand in the Super 12 stage of last year’s World Cup. India are 2 wins away from levelling the record winning streak in the format, of 12 – held by Afghanistan and Romania. 

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“We are going to bowl first, just want to have a score in front of us,” Sharma said at the toss, adding that the dropping mercury as the game progresses will play a role. 

Sharma said that wins or losses don’t dictate the team selection, which entirely depende on “what the team wants”. 

“We also have at look at niggle/injuries. We also have to take care of the guys. So the changes don’t depend on the result. If we feel the need to change we will change,” the skipper added. 

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Meanwhile, Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka said he would have opted to bowl first as well. “The wicket was under the covers for a long time because it was raining in the morning,” he added. 

Shanaka said there are a lot of areas of improvement in the side, underscoring the need for the top order to start firing so they can have a fighting chance against teams like India. 

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The skipper also confirmed two changes in his side, Bunura Fernando and Danushka Gunathilaka coming in for Janith Liyanage and Jeffrey Vandersay. 

Playing XIs:

India: Rohit Sharma(c), Ishan Kishan(w), Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal

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Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Charith Asalanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Dinesh Chandimal(w), Dasun Shanaka(c), Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Praveen Jayawickrama, Binura Fernando, Lahiru Kumara