The two teams will now play three ODI matches as India await the return of captain Rohit and Kohli in the 50-over series starting on August 2.

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India captain Suryakumar Yadav (centre) and Rinku Singh celebrate taking the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Ramesh Mendis. — AFP

Captain Suryakumar Yadav emerged as an unexpected hero with the ball on Tuesday as India defeated Sri Lanka in a T20 thriller that went down to a Super Over to win the series 3-0.

Spinners Rinku Singh and Suryakumar bowled the 19th and 20th overs in Sri Lanka’s chase of 137 and the match ended in a draw at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy.

Washington Sundar then took two Sri Lankan wickets to end the Super Over quickly. The home side scored just two runs but India overtook them with just one hit from Suryakumar, who was batting.

Sundar was adjudged man of the match after taking two wickets in the Sri Lankan chase, with Ravi Bishnoi, Rinku and Suryakumar also taking two each.

The new Indian T20 team, led by Suryakumar and coached by Gautam Gambhir, has started strongly after regulars Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja withdrew following the team’s victory at the T20 World Cup last month.

Suryakumar led the first two victories with the bat and thus decided the series.

Surprisingly, he bowled the last over when Sri Lanka needed six to win.

“More than the last over, when we were around 30-4, I felt the boys showed character, 140 was a par score on that course,” player-of-the-series Suryakumar said. “I said, if we put our heart into it, we can do it.”

He added: “The amount of skill they have, the confidence, it makes my job easy. The positivity, the care for each other is incredible.”

Suryakumar, an attacking batsman who bowls off-spin, took two wickets in successive balls in his first outing as a bowler in T20 matches after Rinku got the ball for the first time in the penultimate over in the shorter format.

It was yet another collapse for Sri Lanka’s batting team, who went down like a house of cards after needing 30 wickets from the last 30 balls and having nine wickets in hand.

Kusal Perera made 46 before being caught and bowled by Rinku.

Sri Lanka, led by Charith Asalanka, won the toss which was delayed due to rain in Kandy and opted to field first on a new pitch, which helped the spinners.

Maheesh Theekshana took over in the second over and sent back Yashasvi Jaiswal for 10 and soon India were 30-4 within six overs, with Suryakumar out for eight.

Debutant Chamindu Wickramasinghe took his maiden wicket when he dismissed Sanju Samson for a duck.

Shubman Gill, who scored 39, and Riyan Parag, who scored 26, tried to rebuild the sixth wicket in a partnership of 54.

Sri Lanka kept on going but Sundar added to the total with his 25, leaving the visiting bowlers screaming.

“Definitely (the target was achievable), we have to do more as professional cricketers,” Asalanka said. “I want to see good batting performances in the ODIs. Our top three and four have done well and that’s the only positive for us.”

India rested its top players including Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant after making four changes to the team.

The two teams will now play three ODI matches as India await the return of captain Rohit and Kohli in the 50-over series starting on August 2.