The 1st T20I match between Ireland and India will be played on today at the Malahide Cricket Club Ground, Dublin.
Ireland is currently placed at the fourteenth position on the ICC Menโs T20I rankings whereas India is placed at the top of the table in the rankings.
Andy Balbirnie will lead the Ireland side, while the Indian squad will be captained by the IPL-winning captain Hardik Pandya.
These two teams have played three matches against each other in this format so far where India won all of those matches against Ireland.
The Hardik Pandya-led side will start as favourites. The series provides a platform for a slew of fringe players like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Avesh Khan, Rahul Tripathi and the returning Sanju Samson to make an impression ahead of the T20 World Cup to be held in Australia.
In particular, it is an important series for Gaikwad as he struggled for form in the T20Is versus South Africa at home.
Some of the players who didn't get a chance despite being included in the squad against South Africa - Venkatesh Iyer, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, Deepak Hooda and Co. - would also be hoping to find a place in the XI.
Ireland would be hoping to put their barren run in the shortest format behind them. Barring a series win against Zimbabwe last year, the European country doesn't have much to show for in the shortest format in the last three years.
Andrew Balbirnie, the skipper, will continue to be the mainstay of the batting unit. Ireland also need their veteran top-order bat Paul Stirling to get into his groove.
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