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KL Rahul finally got his mojo back as his crucial half centurion knock came handy and India's four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the second ODI at the Eden Gardens on Thursday (January 12). With this India also recorded their 26th ODI series win over Islanders as the Men in Blue have never lost a series against Sri Lanka in the last 40 years.
After India's disciplined bowling attack bowled out Sri Lanka to paltry 215, Rahul, who was going through a lean patch with the willow, struck an instrumental 64 off 103 to rescue India from a precarious 86/4 steered Team India to a 2-0 series win with 40 balls to spare.
Meanwhile, another match hero Kuldeep Yadav (3/51) who rose to the occasion with his exceptional spin bowling paired up with pacer Mohammed Siraj (3/30) to limit Sri Lanka within 40 overs after they opted to bat. Nuwanidu Fernando remained Sri Lanka's top scorer with 50 off 63 but his efforts went in vain.
After losing couple of wickets early, which saw Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gil returning back to pavilion at the scores of 17 and 21 respectively before Virat Kohli played on to a delivery from Kumara for just four after making a century in the first ODI, Rahul and Hardik Pandya played sensibly and stitched together a 75-run stand which came off in 119 balls.
Both the batters were comparatively slower in their approach. While Rahul took 95 balls to reach to his fifty, Pandya scored 53-ball 36. Pandya however departed against the run of play, leaving 55 runs required from 95 balls.
Later, Axar Patel chipped in with important 21 off 21 balls to take some burden off Rahul's chest and helped India overhaul Sri Lanka's lowly target.
Earlier, regularly ignored by the Indian think tank, Kuldeep Yadav once again displayed his skills with the ball and required calmness with the bat in his two boundaries towards end of the chase. He got a surprise call-up after Yuzvendra Chahal pulled out with a "sore right shoulder".
Kuldeep justified his spot with 3/51 as he snared all his three wickets in the first five overs. He was the man who triggered Sri Lanka's batting collapse from a strong 102/1. The moment Nuwanidu and Kusal Mendis (34 from 34 balls) started to frustrate Indian bowlers post Powerplay with a swift counter-attack, Kuldeep struck back.
Kuldeep was also the cause of Dasun Shanaka's (2) dismissal, who scored a century in the first ODI. The visitors went on to lose five wickets in the space of 43 balls to virtually lose the plot after they opted to bat on a flat deck. Dunith Wellalage (32) and Wanindu Hasaranga (21) somehow managed to take their team past 200-run mark before Siraj rattled their tail. Meanwhile, Umran Malik also contributed with 2/48.
India and Sri Lanka will play the third ODI, which will be a dead rubber, on Sunday (January 15) while the Islanders will look to get home on a winning note.
