IND vs SL 1st ODI : India takes control over Sri Lanka with regular wickets on a slow pitch
IND vs SL 1st ODI: It took just 2.3 overs for India to strike first, off to a fantastic start. And Mohammed Siraj had to be the one, surely? Avishka Fernando wanted to advance a little earlier and go arial. He miscalculated and hit it squarely to the fielder, which was the lone deviation from the original strategy. Following a lackluster powerplay, captain Rohit Sharma sent in Shivam Dube, who claimed his first-ever ODI wicket in the 13th over.
Charith Asalanka, who chose to bat first after winning the toss, did not anticipate this kind of start. The coin falls on tails, despite Rohit's call. Mohammed Shiraz makes his debut for Sri Lanka. Don't misunderstand; that is Shiraz. Not in Siraj. The selection of Dube in the playing XI ahead of Riyan Parag is the big news out of the Indian camp.
There have been very few ODI matches played by India since the 2023 World Cup. Against South Africa in late December, to be precise, three. But now that the T20 World Cup is finished, the Men in Blue are back to dominate in the 50-over format as they play a three-match series, with the opening match scheduled for this Saturday.
In the 1990s and mid-2000s, the rivalry between India and Sri Lanka produced a number of intense, tight, and thrilling games. However, it has essentially been one-way traffic ever since Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene retired, especially in the previous four to five years. The recently finished T20I leg was a clear illustration of this. India not only defeated Sri Lanka 3-0, but they also dominated them from beginning to end.
The only things that could change ahead of the ODI series are Sri Lanka's injuries to Matheesha Pathirana and Dilshan Madushanka, which will keep them out of the series, and India's comeback of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. But India finds great comfort in Sri Lanka's suffering. Sri Lanka is the ideal opponent for India to transition from Twenty20 internationals to One-day internationals as they get ready for the Champions Trophy in the following year.
Given the significant difference in skill between the two teams, which renders it a mismatch of sorts, Rohit might want to hold off on referring to it as a practice match. India is anticipating more comebacks than only Kohli and Rohit's return. After a lengthy absence, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer—who have recently dominated the ODIs—are rejoining the team. Rahul has not been involved in the national team since the Test series against England, and the BCCI revoked Shreyas' contract.
However, Rahul and Iyer are the two cricket players who most deserve to be re-added to the Indian team. Who can forget India's incredible performance at the World Cup, where they achieved the unbelievable feat of winning ten straight games and coming in second. Remembering November 19 should not overshadow the accomplishments that these two men made during that remarkable two-month campaign. The Indian ODI team is expected to look very different from its T20I squad, with players like Rohit, Kohli, Rahul, and Iyer likely to get some playing time.
That being said, rain is due to arrive soon. Yes, Sri Lanka never has an easy time during this time of year, especially when cricket is involved. Recall the Asia Cup from the previous year, when heavy weather canceled a few matches, had some players use reserve days, and required the ground crew to put in more overtime? Regretfully, we are awake at the same time of year. The game is a win toss, bowl first type of thing because of the cloudy and windy circumstances. with India, especially with Virat Kohli, who has amassed over 600 runs from 11 games played here in Colombo and an average of over 100, the R Premadasa has proven to be a happy hunting ground.
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Next is Kuldeep Yadav, who is presently ranked as India's top spinner in all forms. Kuldeep previously met Sri Lanka in an Asia Cup non-final in Sri Lanka, where he defeated their 214-run chase with a 4/43 score. After being knocked out for 172, they lost by 41 runs, allowing India to win easily in the end. What are the chances that something like this will happen today? At least eighty percent, we say. Why? To say that this Sri Lankan batting looks vulnerable against good spin would be an understatement, especially because Kuldeep is prepared to unleash his full force.
The relationship between coach Gautam Gambhir and player Rohit Sharma is symbolized by the ODI series. In actuality, the present coach of Team India and the captain of the ODI team have a long history together. Gambhir and Rohit were teammates in 2007 when India won the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup. Ajit Agarkar, the head of the BCCI selectors, was included in that team. And now, seventeen years later, the three are collaborating to advance and elevate Indian cricket to new heights. Rahul Dravid's departure as coach marked the end of a wonderful chapter in Rohit's career, but with Gambhir joining the team, another one looks to begin, one that hopefully will be more flowering and successful than the amazing one that just concluded.
- With inputs from agencies
