Sanju included in playing eleven; likely to come into bat as opener

PALLEKELE: Malayali player Sanju Samson has been included in the Indian team for the second T20I match against Sri Lanka in Pallekalle. Sanju has been included in the playing eleven as a replacement for vice-captain Shubman Gill. The fact that Sanju will be playing in his typical batting position—the top order—is further good news for his fans. Sanju is listed as the opener on the team sheet.

Earlier, several fans had raised sharp criticism against the selectors for not including Sanju in the Indian ODI squad for the Sri Lankan tour even after scoring a century in his last ODI match. Despite being a part of the Indian team that won the T20 World Cup in the West Indies, Sanju did not get the opportunity to play a single match in the tournament. The criticism intensified further when Sanju was benched in the first match of the T20I series against Sri Lanka.

Coming to the second T20I match against Sri Lanka, Indian team skipper Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and chose to field first. Fans are hoping that Sanju will deliver a great performance in today's match and cement his place in the team.