"Feels so long" - Fans react as India hand debut cap to Shubman Gill during 1st T20I vs Sri Lanka

Team India handed a debut cap to star batter Shubman Gill in the first T20I against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, January 3. Young fast bowler Shivam Mavi will also make his international debut in the absence of Arshdeep Singh.

While Gill made his ODI and Test debuts in 2019 and 2020, respectively, he had to grind hard in the domestic circuit and the Indian Premier League (IPL) to break into the T20I side.

With senior cricketers like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli missing from the Sri Lanka series, it will be a great opportunity for Gill to make a case for himself. He has smashed 2577 runs in 95 T20 matches at a strike rate of almost 130, including a century and 17 fifties.

Fans on Twitter were certainly happy with Gill's inclusion in the side and wished him luck in his debut T20I game. Here are some of the reactions:

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"We want to put ourselves in more difficult situations" - India captain Hardik Pandya

Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka won the toss and decided to field first at the Wankhede Stadium. The Men in Blue skipper Hardik Pandya admitted that they wanted to bat first in order to put themselves in difficult situations and test their strength.

Speaking at the toss, Hardik said:

"We were going to bat first. Yes, this is a chasing ground but we want to put ourselves in more difficult situations generally in bilaterals. Anyone who comes here we will make sure we'll give them the confidence."

India's playing XI: Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya (c), Deepak Hooda, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Shivam Mavi, Umran Malik, and Yuzvendra Chahal.

Sri Lanka's playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, and Dilshan Madushanka.