Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka chose to field first after winning the toss against India in the opening match of the three-game T20 international series on Saturday. This game in Kandy marks India's debut under new captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir, who took over following India's victory in the T20 World Cup last month. Following their win in the final against South Africa in Barbados, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirements from the T20 format. Suryakumar referred to the World Cup as "history" and highlighted his close relationship with former India opener and new coach Gambhir, who succeeded Rahul Dravid. The Sri Lankan team also underwent several changes, including new captain Asalanka and interim coach Sanath Jayasuriya, who replaced Chris Silverwood after the team's early elimination from the T20 World Cup. Asalanka, known as a batting all-rounder, anticipates greater consistency from his squad.