Will Sri Lanka be able to show some fight in Shorter format?
After Rohit Sharm's unfortunate dismissal, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli played some scintillating shots as Sri Lankan bowlers had no answer to two of the top batsman in the world. Another victory or can also be called a cake walk for the Indian cricket team and Sri Lanka does not seem to improve after its dismal show in the test series.
Earlier, Sri Lanka were in a commanding position with only a single wicket down at the score of 139. But, Kedar Jadhav showed once again why he is such an important player in the Indian line up. He showcased his knack of picking up wickets at crucial juncture in the match. After he broke the partnership between Dickwella and Mendis, the collapse started and the Sri Lankan batting lineup fell like a pack of cards, ultimately leaving India to chase a lowly target of 217 runs.
After a one sided Test series, the focus is back on the shorter format of the game with Sri Lankan fans expecting their team to show some fight in ODIs after a dismal show in test matches. The 1st One day international will be a day night match at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Sunday. There is a strong competition for inclusion in the final playing XI in the Indian camp. Ahead of the match, Virat Kohli has hinted that KL Rahul is a certain in the middle order. Also Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal are likely to lead the spin attack.
"Two years to go for the World Cup and now is the time to give players certain roles to get into the groove and understand what we need to do. KL will definitely be playing in the middle-order. We are not going to be predictable or have a set pattern anymore in terms of what we are going to do in ODI or T20 cricket. Anyone could go anywhere", said Virat Kohli. He further added, "Someone like Manish, he has done well and has grabbed his opportunities. He has got a hundred in Australia as well, and we know about his talent and what he brings onto the field as well. He is a superfit guy and has a bright future ahead of him. So he will certainly be backed. All three guys (including Kedar Jadhav) will have to compete for two spots in the middle-order. There are no guarantees I would say. As long as there is healthy competition, everyone will keep pushing each other and that is healthy for Indian cricket".
Back to business in the plains of the Emerald Isle @imVkohli #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/H1ORLSTtVs
— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) August 20, 2017
On the other hand, Sri Lanka will look to bounce back under captain Upul Tharanga. There is some good news as Lasith Malinga is back and Angelo Mathews is also ready to bowl again. After the test series debacle, Captain Upul Tharanga called for patience and support from the Sri Lankan fans and is confident that his team will bounce back in the limited overs format.
“Every team goes through a rough patch. This is something that happens in cycles to every team and every nation no matter how great a cricketing nation they are Sri Lanka dominated in all three formats for a good 18 years – don’t forget this now when we are going through a rough patch. Sri Lanka have always been stronger in our white-ball format, and I am confident that we will come out strong and beat India. We have the talent, we have the skill. We have been putting in the hard work, we just need the spirit, and for that we need your support too.The support of our fans plays a big role in the morale of the team", said Upul Tharanga.