Sri Lanka and India are set to clash in the 1st ODI of the three match series today at the R.Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, commencing at 2.30 pm.
India after routing Sri Lanka 3-0 in the T-20 series under Suryakumar Yadav at Pallekele but Rohit Sharma is back in the India side as captain and this is almost after eight months time (After last ODI world cup) while Virat Kohil the batting superstar also joined the ODI side after winning T-20 World Cup. K.L Rahul and Shreyas Iyer also joined the team under new coach Gautam Gambhir who is coaching the ODI team.
India have firmly dominated Sri Lanka, as far as the ODI head-to-head record is concerned (99-57). One of their duels ended in a tie. Their last bilateral series saw India thrash SL 3-0 at home last year. On Lankan soil, the two Asian nations last met way back in 2021 (bilateral series). The Men in Blue clinched that series 2-1.
From 2008 I have played cricket in Sri Lanka which have good cricket culture and they hope to see good game and give good support to the teams said skipper Rohit Sharma at the pre match press briefing yesterday.
Working with coach Gautam Gambhir is nothing new and he is very familiar with us as a cricketer and also worked with franchise teams before he took over this post and we are looking forward to do well with him. Every coach has worked with the players and Gambhir also with us to go forward added Sharma.
We have two good wicket keepers K.L.Rahul and Rishabh Pant in the squad and both are good talented players and we have not finalised the team and it will be done today, said Sharma.
Every game is very important and playing at international venues in three games good for all while after off the field nearly two months after T-20 World Cup like to come back to the ODIs said Rohit Sharma who was retired from T-20s after last winning T-20 World Cup. Meanwhile Sri Lanka newly appointed ODI skipper Charith Asalanka wants to put up a better show in the first ODI series under his captaincy.
We lost T- 20 series badly and this is a different format and ODI’s we want to come back seriously by rectifying our mistakes. Sri Lanka repeatedly gave a pathetic batting display by the middle order and late order which caused their defeat by India at T-20s. Team management and the players seriously discussed their batting failure by the middle order. The only plus point is top order including openers Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka are in good form and Sri Lanka have to strengthen middle order. Both teams did their training sessions yesterday.
Pathirana and Madushanka out due to injuries
Meanwhile two pacemen Matheesha Pathirana and Dilshan Madushanka will not take part in the ODI series as both players have sustained injuries. The injury hit players are the biggest issue before this ODI series .
Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed yesterday. Madushdnka suffered a left hamstring injury ( Grade 2) the player sustained during fielding practices while Pathirana had suffered a mild sprain on his right shoulder while diving to take a catch during the third T-20 match against India last Tuesday.
The cricket Selectors have brought in Mohammed Shiraz and Eshan Malinga as replacements for Pathirana and Madushanka. In the meantime another three players Kusal Janith Perera, Promod Madushan and Jeffrey Vandersay have been added to the squad as standbys. The surface at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo will likely favour bowlers, especially the slower ones and both sides are more focused on their spinners. Moreover, pacers will likely garner swing early on. Therefore, batting can be a bit challenging throughout the match.
India will miss the presence of all-rounder Hardik Pandya and pacer Jasprit Bumrah in this series. However they have picked Washington Sundar and Harshit Rana to strengthen their bowling department.
Meanwhile Viat Kohli needs 152 more to become the third batter to complete 14,000 runs in ODI cricket. Sri Lanka opener Kusal Mendis (3,859) is closing in on 4,000 runs in this format. Asalanka is 82 away from completing 2,000 ODI runs. K.L Rahul (2,820) can get to 3,000 ODI runs.
India (Probable XI): Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wicket-keeper), Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, and Harshit Rana.
Sri Lanka ODI Squad: Charith Asalanka–(Capt) Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage Nishan Madushka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya, Eshan Malinga, Mohammed Shiraz, Asitha Fernando. Stand byes: Kusal Janith Perera, Promod Madushan and Jeffrey Vandersay.
Dhammika Ratnaweera