IPL seasons are remembered for much more than just two months of cricket. They are a complete entertainment spectacle, where the action on the field is matched by the excitement created off it. Commentary plays a key role in this, adding depth, emotion, and energy to every moment of the game.

As IPL 2026 approaches, the Indian Premier League is set to deliver yet another thrilling season, beginning on March 28. Broadcasters are leaving no stone unturned to enhance the viewing experience. Along with high-intensity matches, fans can look forward to top-quality analysis, as Star Sports has announced a strong and diverse panel of commentators for the upcoming edition.

The IPL has always stood out for combining exciting cricket with engaging and insightful commentary. Continuing this tradition, Star Sports has brought together a balanced mix of legendary cricketers, experienced broadcasters, and fresh voices, ensuring a rich and enjoyable experience for viewers throughout IPL 2026.

Also read -Ravichandran Ashwin joins Hindi commentary panel for IPL 2026

Full list of English commentators revealed ahead of IPL 2026

Well-known names like Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri will lead the commentary panel, bringing many years of experience and useful insights. Adding more excitement, T20 stars like AB de Villiers and Suresh Raina will also be part of the panel, offering fresh ideas and modern views of the game.

With ten teams playing over 70 matches, including the opening game between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad, the commentators will play an important role in making the matches more exciting for fans around the world.

Here is the complete list of English commentators:

AB de Villiers, Aaron Finch, Dale Steyn, Faf du Plessis, Eoin Morgan, Kevin Pietersen, Michael Clarke, Sunil Gavaskar, M Kartik, Ian Bishop, Simon Doull, Danny Morrison, Darren Ganga, Knick Knight, Graeme Swann, Alan Wilkins, Mpumelelo Mbangwa, Anjum Chopra, WV Raman, Raunak Kapoor, Mitchell McClenaghan, Katey Martin, Simon Katich, Harsha Bhogle, and Ravi Shastri.

The Hindi commentary team features a mix of former players and experts like Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, and Navjot Singh Sidhu, bringing energy and strong insights.  Hindi digital watch-along will include Ravichandran Ashwin, Suresh Raina, Virender Sehwag, and others, sharing match insights and player experiences. The Tamil feed will feature Russel Arnold and RJ Balaji, along with names like Manvinder Bisla and S Badrinath, adding regional flavor.

Complete list of Hindi commentators:

Ravichandran Ashwin, Virender Sehwag, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, Anil Kumble, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Sanjay Bangar, Piyush Chawla, Mohammad Kaif, Ajay Jadeja, Umesh Yadav, Cheteshwar Pujara, Aakash Chopra, Saba Karim, Padamjeet Sehrawat, Anant Tyagi, and Deep Dasgupta

160+ voices. 12 languages. 1 epic STARCAST! 🎙️

Voices that will bring TATA IPL 2026’s Bindaas energy to your screens! 😍#TATAIPL 2026 👉 Starts SAT, 28th MAR, 5:30 PM pic.twitter.com/YOCQS1Qwcy

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 27, 2026

Complete list of Tamil, Bengali and other commentators:

Tamil: RJ Balaji, Muthuraman, Vishnu Hariharan, Ashwath Bobo, KV Satyanarayan, Subramaniam Badrinath, Yo Mahesh, Sadagopan Ramesh, Thirush Kamini, Baba Aparajith, Baba Indrajith, R Sridhar, Russel Arnold, and Abhinav Mukund

Telugu: MSK Prasad, Hanuma Vihari, NC Kaushik, T Suman, Kalyan Krishna, Ashish Reddy, Akshath Reddy, Ravi Teja, and Kalyan Kollarappu

Kannada: Vinay Kumar, Vijay Bharadwaj, Srinivas Murthy, Kiran Srinivasa, Sumesh Goni, Shashank Suresh, Bharat Chipli, K Gowtham, Pavan Deshpande, GK Anil, B Akhil, J Suchith, and Veda Krishnamurthy

Bhojpuri: Sumit Mishra, Saurabh Singh, Shivam Singh, Gulam Hussain, Satya Prakash, Abhay Kumar, and Jwala Singh

Punjabi: Sarandeep Singh, Chetan Sharma, Rahul Sharma, VRV Singh, Reetinder Singh Sodhi, Mandeep Singh, Gurjit Singh, and Sunil Taneja

Haryanvi: Manvinder Bisla, Anil Chaudhary, Sonu Sharma, Ajit R, Ashish Hooda, Sumit Narwal, Vishwaas, and Ravin Kundu

Marathi: Dhawal Kulkarni, Kiran More, Salil Ankola, Aditya Tare, Prasad Kshirsagar, Praveen Tambe, Prasanna Sant, Chaitanya Sant, and Ganesh Joshi

Gujarati: Sheldon Jackson, Nayan Mongia, Atul Bedade, Rakesh Patel, Bhargav Bhatt, Aseem Parikh, Akash Trivedi, and Manpreet Juneja

Malayalam: Sachin Baby, Vishnu Hariharan, VA Jagadeesh, CM Deepak, Rohan Prem, Sony Cheravatur, Raiphi Gomez, Manu Krishnan, MD Nideesh, and Aju John Thomas

Bengali: Shreevats Goswami, Jhulan Goswami, Saradindu Mukherjee, RJ Varun, Sanjeeb Mukherjea, Subhomoy Das, Shiladitya Chatterjee, Anustup Majumdar, Raja Venkatraman, and Gautam Bhattacharya

IPL 2026 to begin from March 28 as new season kicks off

The Indian Premier League 2026 season is set to commence on March 28, bringing back the excitement of one of the world’s most popular cricket leagues. Fans can look forward to high-intensity matches, top international and domestic players, and competitive performances as teams battle for the title. With well-balanced squads and fresh strategies, the new season promises engaging action from the outset.

However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has decided to cancel the opening ceremony this year. The decision has been taken as a mark of respect for the 11 lives lost in a tragic stampede incident in Bengaluru last year, which occurred a day after Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured the IPL 2025 title.

As per the official schedule, the tournament will proceed as planned, with the opening match to be played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 28. The season will conclude on May 31, with the final scheduled to take place in Bengaluru.

Indian Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar became emotional when asked to honor Nari Contractor with a lifetime achievement award. In a rare sighting, Gavaskar was in tears as he idealized Contractor as his childhood hero.

Gavaskar explained how important Nari Contractor has been to him throughout the journey in the sports sector. The 76-year-old recalled a moment when he used to be an aspirant, listening to a commentary when Contractor was batting against England.

Sunil Gavaskar recalls Nari Contractor’s inspiring comeback

Recalling the spectrum from the early days, Gavaskar mentioned that, in that match, Nari Contractor batted with a broken rib for another two to three hours. The moment, the commentary, and the heart-out batting of Nari Contractor became a turning point in his career forever.

Read More: CSK arranges exclusive fans-players meetup before IPL 2026: Full details

“I mean, for me, it is an incredible honor to be able to, I'm getting emotional here, to be able to present this award, the Lifetime Achievement Award to Nari Contractor. We learned so much from him. Firstly, as an opening bat, you need courage”, Sunil Gavaskar said from the stage.

Why Nari Contractor remains a legendary figure in Indian cricket

“I remember listening to the commentary, 1959 of the Lord's Test Match, and very early in his innings, he got hit in the chest by a ball from Brian Statham that got up, broke a rib, and he carried on. He carried on, batted for another two to three hours, and finally got out at 81. But for somebody who was just looking at playing a little bit of gully cricket, street cricket, it was an inspiration”, he further added.

From the knock of Nari Contractor, who is now 92, Gavaskar came to learn that without pain, he would not become a proper batter. Even a blow on the head could not stop the legend, Gavaskar recalled.

“It was that if you want to be a batter, you've got to be prepared to take the pain. And if you've got to be a batter for your country, you should be able to put your life on the line. I mean, that was it. So, when he got hit on the head, after that, he also made a comeback. He made a comeback to the, to first class cricket and got hundreds. But clearly at that stage, there were no helmets”, Sunil Gavaskar mentioned.

It was an emotional moment for the cricket fans as well. Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan was there among the attendees. The camera captured some numb eyes of some of the fans as well. 

"Nari Contractor - He was hit on the head by Charlie Griffith", one of the comments in the social media post reads. "One legend talks about legendary heroics of another legend... So inspiring, humble, and kind of cute", another cricket fan wrote in the comment section. 

Watch the video here;

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 Fans react to the emotional moment

We can resonate with this. We belong to a generation where we get emotional for our heroes. We don't abuse other players. Cricket meant so much for us..

— Vinayak Dubey 🇮🇳 (@vinayvaani) March 14, 2026

One of the best cricketers of all time and great analyst too. Calls a spade a spade without any fear.

— Sameer Singh (@Imsamtheone) March 14, 2026

The T20 World Cup 2026 final will feature India facing New Zealand on Sunday, March 8, at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Both teams have prepared rigorously for this match, and neither should be underestimated. However, debate surrounds India's playing XI for the final, as Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy's underwhelming performances have sparked concern. Consequently, many experts advocate dropping both, while others continue to support them.

Sunil Gavaskar has also given important suggestions regarding India's playing XI for the final match. Gavaskar wants Abhishek Sharma, an out-of-form opener, to be dropped and Rinku Singh to be played in the title match against New Zealand.

See Also: Watch: MS Dhoni arrives in Ahmedabad ahead of IND vs NZ T20 World Cup 2026 Final

Abhishek's performance in the T20 World Cup 2026 has been quite disappointing, as he has scored only 89 runs in seven innings so far, including three ducks. Abhishek is facing significant difficulties against off-spinners.

"It's a very tough call. Abhishek Sharma is the No. 1 batter in the ICC T20 rankings, but he hasn't learned from his dismissals. He keeps getting out in the same region where his arms are cramped for room. Bowlers are targeting that area and forcing mistakes. My concern is that he either hasn't adjusted yet or is unable to change his approach." On the eve of the IND vs NZ final, Sunil Gavaskar said on India Today.

Sunil Gavaskar wants India to include Rinku Singh

Considering Abhishek's poor form, the former Indian opener has urged Team India to include Rinku Singh in the playing XI. He said,

"I would like to see Ishan Kishan open the batting with Sanju Samson, with Rinku Singh coming into the side. Rinku has that belief—you've probably seen the 'God's Plan' tattoo on his body—and sometimes things just work out for players like him."

If Abhishek Sharma is replaced by Rinku Singh, India will have to open with Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan. Rinku will be seen playing as a finisher. However, he hasn't done much in the current tournament either and has scored 24 runs in five innings with an average of eight and a strike rate of 82.75.

Sunil Gavaskar has also suggested dropping spinner Varun Chakravarthy, as his confidence appears to be low. Gavaskar wants Kuldeep Yadav to play in the final. Whether India takes the risk of making two major changes in the final remains to be seen.

Thursday (February 26) was a good day for India in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. South Africa defeated the West Indies by nine wickets, alleviating concerns about India's net run rate. India then defeated Zimbabwe by 72 runs to maintain its position in the semi-final race. Now, India will have to defeat the West Indies to secure a place in the semi-finals. The match between these two teams is scheduled for March 1 at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata.

While all Indian fans and former cricketers are hopeful that Team India will once again win the T20 World Cup, Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has a different opinion. Gavaskar doesn't point to India, but rather to two other teams that have already qualified for the semifinals.

See Also: Watch: Heartbreaking news!! Star India player's father passes away during T20 World Cup 2026

Sunil Gavaskar has described South Africa, which has qualified for the semi-finals from Group X, and England, which has secured a place in the final four from Group Y, as strong title contenders. Under Aiden Markram’s captaincy, the Proteas remain unbeaten in the tournament, having defeated India by 76 runs and the West Indies by 9 wickets in the Super 8. England, after losing one group stage match, rebounded with a 51-run win over Sri Lanka and a 2-wicket victory against Pakistan in the Super 8.

Sunil Gavaskar picks England and South Africa as favourites

During a discussion on India Today, Sunil Gavaskar picked England and South Africa as the two favorites to win the T20 World Cup. Gavaskar also said that England may have lost some wickets quickly in the middle against Pakistan, but that it's not a cause for concern.

The Indian legend praised the English team, saying:

"For me, the two favorites are South Africa and England. England might have had a close victory, but that again is down to the modern tendency to try and finish the game off with a six. Otherwise, the England win would have been a very, very easy win against Pakistan."

"England, because they've got the bowlers who can bowl spin as well as quick. They've got a very good bowling attack and the batting also, they've got a fair bit of depth over there. So I think England and South Africa are the two teams to watch out for," he added.

England and South Africa still have one match each remaining in the Super 8 round of the T20 World Cup 2026. England will face New Zealand on 27 February, while South Africa will take on Zimbabwe on 1 March.

Shivaji Park will appear as a fully playable ground in LightFury Games’ new title, eCricket. The ground is known as the “Cradle of Indian Cricket” and has produced great players like Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar. Now, fans will be able to play at this famous venue in a realistic digital version.

The game is being made with Unreal Engine 5 to give better graphics and a real match feel. The makers are recreating special parts of Shivaji Park, such as the stone benches (katta), the Samarth Vyayam Mandir, and the dusty ground, to make it look real.

As per a report by Insidesport, the game is likely to release in 2026. It will have more than 600 licensed international players and aims to give fans a very real cricket gaming experience.

Also read -Watch: Shivam Dube bowls no-ball way outside the pitch vs Zimbabwe in T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 clash

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MS Dhoni Hails eCricket Game

MS Dhoni shared his excitement after LightFury Games added Shivaji Park as a fully playable ground in their upcoming game, eCricket. Posting on social media, Dhoni said, “They added Shivaji Park to the map… and suddenly it feels personal. Because every ground dreams of witnessing a Dhoni moment. Great work ecricketgame, excited to play on the new ground.”

A New Era for Gaming

eCricket is set to release later in 2026. The game is designed as a mobile-first AAA title and aims to change the sports gaming world. With more than 600 licensed international players and famous grounds like Shivaji Park, the game promises a very real and exciting cricket experience for fans.

The former Indian opening batter, Sunil Gavaskar, has suggested the home management should make one change of bringing back Axar Patel in place of Washington Sundar in the playing eleven for the second Super 8 clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 against Zimbabwe at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. 

Sundar bowled only two overs in the first innings and couldn’t contribute with the bat in the middle order. It was addressed as a tactical change by captain Suryakumar Yadav to drop the home boy Axar, who was excellent with the bat against this same side in the T20 WC 2024 final.

See Also: Watch: ‘People felt bad…’- Mohammad Amir clarifies ‘slogger’ remark on Abhishek Sharma with advice in T20 World Cup 2026

“I would look at bringing Axar Patel back into the playing XI, keeping in mind the lack of too many left-handed batters in Zimbabwe’s line-up. You could possibly bring him in place of Arshdeep Singh. But Arshdeep bowled so well against South Africa and you wouldn’t want to change somebody who looked in such good rhythm. So, maybe they might not make a change and go with the same team.” Gavaskar expressed on Star Sports.

Sunil Gavaskar blames Tilak Varma’s approach in IND vs SA T20 WC 2026

Gavaskar felt that Tilak should have shown a measured approach with the bat rather than a fiery batting. Varma used his feet and ended up getting an edge to wicket-keeper batter, which was another big blow to the unit.

“But I feel Washington Sundar will be the one to miss out. He is not being used properly. Against South Africa, he bowled just two overs and did nothing with the bat. Against Netherlands, he bowled four overs but took no wickets. I think the time has run out for Washington Sundar. Axar Patel will surely replace him.” The former Indian opener added.

“Tilak Varma has been a very street-smart batter. But I was disappointed with his approach in this game. Ishan Kishan lost his wicket in the first over. The required rate was around 9.5 runs per over, not 15. So, Tilak could have given himself more time. At the other end, Abhishek Sharma had back-to-back ducks. So, the responsibility was on Tilak to stick around.” Gavaskar concluded.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai was one of the special guests at the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Super Eights match between India and South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday evening.

Pichai, who leads Google and its parent company Alphabet Inc., sat in the stands with ICC Chair Jay Shah during the big match. This game was a rematch of the 2024 T20 World Cup final. Before the match started, Pichai carried the T20 World Cup trophy onto the field with former India captain Sunil Gavaskar.

During the mid-innings break, Pichai spoke with former India head coach Ravi Shastri. He talked about his love for cricket and his childhood hero, Gavaskar. Pichai said, “When I was growing up, Sunny (Sunil Gavaskar) was a big idol for me. We used to have the Sportstar poster on my walls. So, I have followed the sport from a young age.”

Watch the video here:

Sundar Pichai 🤝 Sportstar

"When I was growing up, Sunny (Sunil Gavaskar) was a big idol for me. We used to have the Sportstar poster on my walls. So, I have followed the sport from a young age," said Google CEO Pichai, in a conversation with Ravi Shastri during the mid-innings… pic.twitter.com/kbt5ZRlDcZ

— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) February 22, 2026

Pichai Shares His Love for Cricket

“I used to listen to the commentary on the radio for the games in the West Indies with my granddad and granduncle. I have always been into the game,” he added.

Other important guests at the India–South Africa match included ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta, former India captain MS Dhoni and his wife Sakshi Dhoni, and Bollywood director Farah Khan. The official attendance for the match was 90,954.

In a post on X, ICC Chair Jay Shah welcomed Sundar Pichai to the game. He said it was a pleasure for the ICC to host the CEO of Google and Alphabet Inc. at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup match at the Narendra Modi Stadium. He also said that the partnership with Google India is helping to grow the sport and bring fans closer to the game.

Also read -Watch: Faf du Plessis sings CSK anthem during IND vs SA T20 World Cup 2026 super 8 match

ICC and Google Partnership

The International Cricket Council has partnered with Google for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Google Gemini is the Official AI Fan Companion, and Google Pixel is the Official Smartphone of the tournament. According to the ICC, Gemini will help fans enjoy and understand the game in new ways. Google Pixel will capture special moments from inside the stadium.

South Africa Beat India by 76 Runs in the Super 8 Match

Defending champion India suffered its first loss of the tournament on February 22, 2026. South Africa won the Super Eight Group 1 match by 76 runs. South Africa scored 187 for 7 in 20 overs. In reply, India were all out for 111 in 18.5 overs.

India lost two early wickets during the chase. Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma played quick shots against Aiden Markram and Marco Jansen and got out early. This early setback made the chase difficult for the team.

Keeping all political issues aside, former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar made a humanitarian plea to the Pakistan government to give World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan proper medical care and respectful treatment. He, along with 14 other former captains, made the request after reports said that Imran has lost 85% of his eyesight. The reports said that the 1992 World Cup-winning captain has lost vision in his right eye due to alleged medical neglect while in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.

Gavaskar joined Kapil Dev, Mike Atherton (England), Allan Border, Ian Chappell and Greg Chappell (Australia), Clive Lloyd (West Indies), and John Wright (New Zealand), among others, in signing an open letter called “Appeal by Former International Cricket Captains” addressed to the Pakistan government, asking for fair treatment for Khan.

In a heartwarming gesture, Gavaskar recalled his long association with Imran while talking to India Today.

“I have known Imran since India played against Worcester in 1971. He was 17 then, trying to play as an overseas player. Since then, we have played against each other, captained our countries, and got to know each other very well,” Gavaskar said.

Watch the interview here:

Sunil Gavasker said, "Imran Khan is Pakistan's hero. He is one of the few cricketers in the world who became globally famous. Imran Khan made Pakistan's name shine on the world stage. Hearing about the health issues caused by his inadequate treatment, I too joined the appeal." pic.twitter.com/73pP7kBXKl

— Salman. (@TsMeSalman) February 19, 2026

Gavaskar Appeals for Imran Khan’s Humane Treatment

Sunil Gavaskar said he made the appeal on humanitarian grounds after hearing about Imran Khan’s recent health issues due to poor medical care.

“To see the news about his health problems made me want to make this appeal on humanitarian grounds. We are not talking about politics here. Political differences aside, this is only about helping a human being,” he said.

Gavaskar also reminded everyone that Imran gave Pakistan an identity in world cricket.

“Don’t forget, he is a hero who put Pakistan on the world map. He is one of the few cricketers known worldwide. He deserves proper care so he can recover. Whatever legal steps happen, they will happen, but at least he should get proper medical attention,” Gavaskar added.

Imran Khan, along with his wife Bushra Bibi, has been in jail since August 2023 after losing his political position in Pakistan. His latest corruption convictions have given him a total jail term of 31 years.

It will now be interesting to see if this plea by cricket legends has any effect or is ignored.

Fourteen former international cricket captains from different countries have written to Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif. They shared serious concern about the health of former Pakistan captain Imran Khan. They asked the government to ensure respectful and humane treatment.

Reports state that Imran Khan is suffering from an eye condition. His family says he has nearly lost sight in one eye and has not received proper medical support in jail. These claims have created concern both in Pakistan and across the cricket world.

As reported by The Age, Greg Chappell prepared the appeal. It was signed by Ian Chappell, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Clive Lloyd, Allan Border, Michael Atherton, Nasser Hussain, Michael Brearley, David Gower, Steve Waugh, John Wright, Kim Hughes, and Belinda Clark. Many of them faced him during their playing days.

Also read -Renowned billion-dollar franchise lines Up ‘Stunning Offer’ for Gautam Gambhir’s CEO role ahead of IPL 2026

Global Cricket Leaders Call for Fair Treatment

Khan’s lawyer told the Supreme Court that he lost much of the vision in his right eye while in custody. Later, a medical panel said the swelling had reduced and his eyesight had shown improvement after care.

Despite strained relations between India and Pakistan, Gavaskar and Kapil Dev added their names to the appeal. The group said updates about his health and jail conditions over the past two and a half years have caused deep worry. They believe in fairness, honour, and respect. In their view, a former national leader and sports figure should receive proper care.

Imran played 88 Tests and 175 One-Day Internationals from 1971 to 1992. He led Pakistan to its only ODI World Cup win in 1992.

The message comes as pressure increases on the authorities regarding his condition. His family says they have not been allowed to meet him for months. They also want his personal doctors to examine him, but permission has not been granted. Reports suggested he might be shifted to a hospital, though this has not taken place.

Former players Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, and Ajay Jadeja have also spoken about the need for proper medical help.

Imran Khan served as Pakistan’s Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022. He has received several prison terms in different cases, including corruption charges. He and his supporters say the cases are politically motivated. A seven-year term linked to a marriage issue before the 2024 elections was later overturned.

The captains said that beyond cricket, he was a democratically elected leader who guided his country during a difficult period. They believe he deserves fair and humane care, regardless of political views.

India and Pakistan are getting ready to face each other in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 Group A fixture, which has been scheduled for this Sunday night (February 15) at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has come up with a special suggestion for the match, where he has suggested benching one important Indian pacer to bring in the spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar.

The Sri Lankan pitches are favoring the spinners as expected in the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Sunil Gavaskar feels that Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah can handle the pace bowling responsibility for the match. However, if the pitch continues to assist the spinners, India should go with Washington Sundar. It means that Gavaskar indirectly wants to drop the left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, the leading T20I wicket-taker for India, for the India vs Pakistan match in the tournament due to the pitch condition.  

Washington Sundar can bowl spin and is also a left-handed batter: Sunil Gavaskar

Gavaskar said on Aaj Tak, "I would also say that if the pitch is assisting spin, I would prefer the Indian team to open the bowling with Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, and include Washington Sundar in the XI. Washington Sundar can bowl spin and is also a left-handed batter who can score runs coming in at number eight. So I would like the team management to assess the pitch and conditions carefully before finalising the playing XI."

India are playing with the spinners like Varun Chakravarthy and the all-rounder Axar Patel, while Shivam Dube can also deliver the medium-pace bowling duty. 

Watch: Abhishek Sharma with full Indian squad leaves for Colombo ahead of T20 World Cup clash vs Pakistan

Sunil Gavaskar also talks about how dangerous Usman Tariq can be against India

On the other hand, there is more talk about how the Indian batters can handle the controversial Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq. Gavaskar feels that Tariq can trouble the Indian batters only if the ball turns sharply. 

Gavaskar said, "The Indian team has played against Abrar in previous matches, so they did not face too many difficulties against him. Usman Tariq is new, and I just heard that even the Pakistani batsmen who were playing did not seem to face much trouble. I also do not think there will be too many issues. However, if the ball starts turning sharply, then it can trouble any batter."