Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

India eye series win, Sri Lanka seek revival

India will fancy their chances of wrapping up the five-match series when they lock horns with a beleaguered Sri lanka in the third one-day International tomorrow (27).

The visitors have a 2-0 lead in the series and can wrap up the contest with another win here before leaving for the last leg of the tour in Colombo.


India recovered from a precarious 131 for seven to record only their second win at the Pallekele International Cricket ground.

The Men in Blue haven't played much ODI cricket at Pallekele, and Thursday's (24) match was only their second at this venue, having played previously in 2012. It does reflect on their hundred percent record here then, and the short two-day gap between the second and third ODIs will help them take the winning momentum forward.

The big question is if skipper Virat Kohli will continue with his bold approach when it comes to team strategy, if not team selection.

Ahead of the second ODI, he had outlined the need to give ample opportunity to the youngsters in the side, particularly the bowlers. As such, it is only to be expected that Axar Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal will continue to be front-line spinners then.

However, the complication in the 231-run chase in the second ODI occurred due to a shuffle in the batting order.

After a great start, Kohli sent in KL Rahul and Kedar Jadhav ahead at number 3 and 4 respectively. The mini-experiment failed spectacularly, mostly because they couldn't read Akila Dananjay's googlies properly.

Jadhav's impulsive shot making during a three-ball stay also didn't go unnoticed.

Again then, it is a wonder if Kohli will experiment again tomorrow. The Indian skipper might just revert to the original batting order and close out the series before ringing any changes in the last two ODIs in Colombo. In doing so though, he will be departing from his claims of 'making unpredictable changes despite facing defeat'.

All said and done, India's collapse on Thursday has brought this additional (but welcome) interesting twist to the equation here.

There is also the toss factor. Kohli won his fifth consecutive toss on this tour, and predictably chose to chase again. With Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan putting on a century stand, in a way, it was the catalyst for the shuffle in batting-order, as the Indian skipper probably didn't want a second game without action in the middle for Rahul and others.

Could this force Kohli to rethink his bat-first theory, if he manages to win the toss yet again?

As concerns changes to the playing combination, Hardik Pandya is in focus. In the lead-up to the second ODI, the all-rounder wore a light strap on his left knee, though the team management assured his full fitness. Later in the game, he pulled up with issues on the same left leg.

While it appeared to be a calf problem for him, due to which he left the field on three occasions, again the team management outlined it as a cramp issue and not a major worry.

Pandya's availability for the third ODI then remains a question mark at best. Even if cramped yet fully fit, will he be risked given the extended limited-overs' schedule India have until December? If not, then Kuldeep Yadav or Shardul Thakur could come into the reckoning as the fifth bowler, unluckily again for Manish Pandey as India will need someone to bowl Pandya's 10 overs.

While India could yet field an unchanged combination, there are bound to be further changes for the Sri Lankan playing XI. Upul Tharanga has been handed a two-match suspension for slow over-rate for the second time since the Champions Trophy in June, and he will sit out the next two ODIs.

It could be a blessing in disguise as the skipper was suffering from a poor run of form, and the attacking Dinesh Chandimal, included in the Lankan squad, is expected to slot into Tharanga's no.4 spot.

Surprisingly enough, the Test skipper will not be leading Sri Lanka here or in Colombo whilst Tharanga sits on the sidelines.

Instead, Chamara Kapugedara will do the honours as he was given the responsibility of being the vice-captain in the first two matches. There will also be an additional change as Lahiru Thirimanne is expected to open with Niroshan Dickwella, after Danushka Gunathilaka injured his shoulder whilst fielding in the second ODI.

Teams (from):

India: Virat Kohli (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Ajinkya Rahane, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur.

Sri Lanka: Chamara Kapugedara (capt), Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanna, Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Chamara Kapugedera, Milinda Siriwardana, Malinda Pushpakumara, Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan, Thisara Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lasith Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera, Vishwa Fernando, Upul Tharanga (for fifth ODI).

More For You

Father’s Day

Father’s Day reflects a wide range of traditions shaped by history, culture and emotion

iStock

What Father’s Day means around the world: A celebration of presence over presents

Father’s Day is often seen as a time for cards, tools or a family lunch, but across the globe, it carries a much deeper significance. Beyond the commercial promotions, Father’s Day reflects a wide range of traditions shaped by history, culture and emotion. While some mark the occasion with grand gestures, others focus on quiet reflection, respect and the bonds that define fatherhood.

Thailand’s day of respect

In Thailand, Father’s Day is celebrated on 5 December, the birthday of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The day is as much about honouring the nation’s former monarch as it is about celebrating fatherhood. Citizens wear yellow, the king’s birth colour, and present canna lilies to their fathers as a symbol of gratitude and respect. It’s a cultural blend of familial and national reverence.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jungkook

Jungkook under fire for wearing Make Tokyo Great Again cap at BTS concert rehearsal

Twitter/ Pannchoa/ Getty Images

Jungkook apologises after backlash for wearing ‘Make Tokyo Great Again’ cap at BTS rehearsal

BTS star Jungkook has issued a public apology after sparking backlash for wearing a cap with the phrase “Make Tokyo Great Again” during a rehearsal for J-Hope’s concert. The phrase, seen as politically loaded, upset many fans in South Korea, with some calling it offensive and thoughtless.

The singer, who recently completed his mandatory military service, said he was unaware of the slogan’s sensitive background and admitted that he should have been more cautious.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rochdale grooming case

They were all remanded in custody, except Bashir, who absconded before the trial began. (Photo: Greater Manchester Police)

Seven men convicted of raping 13-year-old girls in Rochdale grooming case

SEVEN men were convicted on Friday in the UK’s latest grooming trial, after a jury heard that two girl victims were forced to have sex “with multiple men on the same day, in filthy flats and on rancid mattresses”.

Jurors at the court in Manchester, northwest England, deliberated for three weeks before finding the seven men, all of whom are of South Asian descent, guilty of rape.

Keep ReadingShow less
Victor Hugo hidden artworks

Drawings by Victor Hugo on display include Ecce Lex

Paris Musees

Victor Hugo’s hidden artworks reveal political depth and poetic mystery

The moment I walked into the Royal Academy to see Astonishing Things: The Drawings of Victor Hugo, I thought of Rabindranath Tagore.

Both men were giants of literature, but they were visual artists as well.

Keep ReadingShow less
Aisha Khan Revives Vintage Soul at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club

Aisha Khan

Aisha Khan brings vintage soul to Ronnie Scott’s with jazz and rhythm and blues revival

With a voice that echoes both the glamour and grit of a bygone era, British singer Aisha Khan is set to take centre stage at London’s legendary Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club on June 29.

Performing with her acclaimed band The Rajahs, Khan will present a rich cocktail of 1940s and 1950s American roots music, jazz and rhythm and blues – blending timeless classics with her own original songs. Known for her evocative vocals, magnetic stage presence and deep reverence for the great female vocalists of the past, Khan promises a night filled with toe-tapping rhythm and heartfelt emotion.

Keep ReadingShow less