What happened the last time India played a T20I in Pune? 

Following their nail-biting win in the opening T20I, Team India are set to lock horns with Sri Lanka for the second game of the ongoing three-match series. The encounter is scheduled to be played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune on Thursday (January 7).

So far, India have played three T20 internationals in Pune, winning two and losing one of them.

Located right beside Mumbai, where the first T20I took place, the pitch at the MCA Stadium in Pune assists batters and spin bowlers. Unlike many other venues, teams batting first (34 times) at the MCA Stadium, across all T20s, have won more games than chasing teams (29 times). On a black-soil surface here, spinners have done slightly better than fast bowlers, with their economy being 7.37 compared to almost 8 for seamers.

The last time India played a T20I in Pune was in January 2020. Pune hosted the series-deciding third T20I between India and Sri Lanka. India won the second T20I in Indore after the first game was abandoned due to rain.

After winning the toss in the third T20I, Sri Lankan skipper Lasith Malinga invited India to bat first. Indian openers in KL Rahul (54 off 36) and Shikhar Dhawan (52 off 36) laid out the perfect platform for India after adding 97 runs inside the first 11 overs. However, the next two overs saw India lose four quick wickets and were left reeling at 122/4 in 13 overs.

Skipper Virat Kohli (26 off 17) and Manish Pandey (31 off 18) then steadied the ship somewhat with their 42-run stand. Once Kohli was run out in the 18th over, the duo of Pandey and Shardul Thakur took 34 runs off the last two overs to ensure India breached 200.

In reply, the Sri Lankan innings never really took off. Against Jasprit Bumrah and company, the Sri Lankan batting needed to punch way above their weight to score 202. But when the islanders’ lost their first four wickets inside the powerplay, the chase was effectively over.

Dhananjaya de Silva did show up with a valiant half-century but found no support from the other end. Indian pacers Bumrah, Thakur, and Navdeep Saini took six wickets among themselves as Sri Lanka were bundled out for 123 in 15.5 overs. India won the game by 78 runs and local lad Thakur was adjudged as the Player of the Match for his all-round heroics.

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Jitesh Sharma added to the Indian T20I squad as a replacement for Sanju Samson

On Wednesday (January 4) night, the BCCI confirmed that Vidharbha wicket-keeper Jitesh Sharma has replaced the injured Sanju Samson for the two remaining T20Is against Sri Lanka.

Samson, who hurt his left knee while attempting to field a ball near the boundary ropes during the opening T20I in Mumbai, has been taken for scans.

The BCCI released a statement yesterday, which said:

"Samson hurt his left knee while attempting to field a ball near the boundary ropes during the 1st T20I at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai."

It further read:

"He was taken for scans and a specialist opinion this afternoon in Mumbai by the BCCI Medical Team and has been advised rest and rehabilitation. The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Jitesh Sharma as replacement for Sanju Samson."

Born in the Amrawati district in Maharashtra, Jitesh is a 29-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Vidarbha. He rose to fame after making a big impact for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) with his boundary-hitting skills in IPL 2022, often chipping in with quick-fire cameos. In 12 matches, Jitesh hammered 234 runs at a strike rate of 163.64.