IND vs SL, 1st Test: Rohit Sharma elects to bat
India and Sri Lanka are locking horns in the first Test at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. The hosts are in pursuit of winning their 15th successive Test series at home. Rohit Sharma is playing his first Test as India's full-time captain. Meanwhile, it will be Virat Kohli's 100th Test appearance. India have won the toss and elected to bat.
Here are the two teams
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma (captain), Mayank Agarwal, Hanuma Vihari, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wicket-keeper), Suranga Lakmal, Vishwa Fernando, Lasith Embuldeniya, Lahiru Kumara
Key details about the match
The PCA IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali is hosting the 1st Test. It will begin at 9:30 AM IST. The wicket here favors the batters as they can play on the up. While seamers garner extra bounce, spin comes into play eventually. One can watch the game live on the Star Sports Network and stream the same on the Hotstar app (paid subscription).
Kohli set to feature in his 100th Test
Former Indian captain Virat Kohli is set to feature in his 100th Test. He will become the 12th Indian player to reach this landmark in the format. The 33-year-old had earned his maiden Test cap in 2011 at Sabina Park, Jamaica, when India took on the West Indies. In a career spanning over a decade, Kohli has amassed 7,962 runs at 50.39.
IS Bindra stadium: Here are the stats
The IS Bindra stadium has hosted a total of 13 Tests, with the teams batting first winning just three. Average scores at this venue - 1st innings: 355, 2nd innings: 379, 3rd innings: 270, 4th innings: 129. New Zealand recorded the highest total here (630/6 vs India, 2003). The lowest total here was recorded by India in 1999 (83 vs New Zealand).
Sri Lanka set to play their 300th Test
Sri Lanka are set to play their 300th Test match. As of now, they have won 95 and lost 113 Tests, while 91 have resulted in a draw. The Lankans have a win percentage of 31.77 in Test cricket.