As Ranchi is all set to host its maiden T20I, local boy Dhoni will look to get back to winning ways and stay alive in series
For Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, victories and defeats are just parts of process. If the Sri Lankan's thought that the win in the first T20 on a surprisingly seaming Pune track on Tuesday has dented Team India's spirits, then they are wrong.
Dhoni & Co., who were terrific form in the T20 series in Australia, are keen to get back at the Lankans when they lock horns in the second T20I at the JSCA International Stadium, Ranchi, on Friday evening.
The wicketkeeper-batsman, chasing his second World T20 title after 2007, is back at his birth place. The whole 40,000-capacity stadium crowd will be behind their man to support him.
It is unlikely that the skipper will make any changes and go in with the same playing 11 that he fielded in Pune. Just that the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium wicket turned out to be very different from the regular sub-continent track that saw the Indian batting might in a tizzy.
This time don't expect the wicket to be similar from what one saw in Pune. The JSCA stadium has never hosted a single T20I before but has held three ODI games where close to 300 have been scored all the time.
The crowd will get to see India's batting might in this game. For Rohit Sharma, it will be another opportunity to have a go at the bowlers while his partner Shikhar Dhawan will need to prove his consistency.
However, the series is most important for Ajinkya Rahane, who failed to make a mark in the previous game. The Mumbai batsman, currently batting at Virat Kohli's position – No.3 – has a huge task to impress the think tank and show his T20 batting abilities before the World T20.
For big hitters Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh it is a good opportunity to get a feel on a typical Indian track that is full of runs.
The bowlers, meanwhile, will be keen to restrict as many runs as possible. It won't be easy considering the Sri Lankans have some good T20 hitters in their line-up.
On Sri Lanka front, it will be interesting to see how fast bowler Kasun Rajitha, who did well on his debut in the last game, fares on the flat deck and against a power packed India batting unit.
One-up in the series Sri Lanka will eye another win and the T20 kings India, their first. Expect a thrilling T20 tie this time.
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