India on the Sri Lanka tour haven’t been tested, wins are coming easily and players are buffing their personal stats while Sri Lanka are struggling, hitting rock bottom, losing six consecutive matches combining Test and ODI, and also losing automatic qualification spot for the 2019 World Cup.
The fifth and final ODI is all about Sri Lanka avoiding another whitewash and showing some fight, and not repeat the same performance which saw them failing to reach 250 in three matches and in the 4th ODI they suffered the heaviest defeat at home.
While for India, it’s all about rotation and providing youngster to showcase their talent which will eventually help in the build-up to the World Cup 2019. Barring a 5-0 victory against Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe in 2013, India hasn't achieved an ODI series whitewash overseas. That record is likely to be set straight unless something miraculous happens.
When: Sri Lanka vs India, 5th ODI - Sunday, September 3 at 14:30 Local Time
Where: R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Probable XI: Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dilshan Munaweera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Upul Tharanga (c), Angelo Mathews, Milinda Siriwardana, Wanidu Hasaranga, Akila Dananjaya, Malinda Pushpakumara, Vishwa Fernando, Lasith Malinga
Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (c), Lokesh Rahul, Manish Pandey, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah