The much-anticipated ODI series between India and Sri Lanka finally kicked off on August 2 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on August 2, Friday. This series marks the return of key players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to the Indian squad after a month-long hiatus following India's T20 World Cup 2024 triumph. Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and opted to bat first against India.
Indian team wears black armbands in memory of late Anshuman Gaekwad
A poignant moment unfolded during the match as Indian players were seen sporting black armbands. This gesture was a tribute to former Indian cricketer and coach, Anshuman Gaekwad, who passed away on July 31 at the age of 71. Gaekwad, a stalwart of Indian cricket, represented the nation in 40 Test matches and 15 ODIs during his playing career. His coaching tenure, which included guiding India to the 1998 tri-nation tournament title, was equally illustrious. Gaekwad's demise due to blood cancer has left an indelible mark on Indian cricket.
Talking about the match, India are put to bowl first in the ODI series opener. India will look to carry the momentum from their T20I series victory over Sri Lanka into the ODI format. The return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma bolstered the squad, while KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Kuldeep Yadav were also included in the starting eleven in the first ODI at the R Premadasa stadium in Colombo.
India captain Rohit Sharma, after losing the toss, said:
“Good pitch. We have played a lot of cricket here and know the conditions. There has been a lot of changes; I am back, so is Virat, KL and Shreyas Iyer. Kuldeep also comes back in. Dube is also playing. We have a pretty decent balance. We had a great World Cup, we didn't cross the finishing line but there were a lot of positives. We have created an atmosphere where guys can come in and play with freedom. Not really (on whether he will bowl), I will focus on my batting. We have enough bowlers in the squad that can roll their arm over."
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka, after winning the toss, said:
“We are going to bat first. It looks like a dry pitch and that's the reason. We are going with 6-5 combination. Shiraz is making his debut today. We have to improve our mental skills, we did some bad things in the last game but that is the past and we are looking forward to this game. It is a concern as a captain but I am looking forward to going with my second line of bowling."
India's Playing XI:
Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj
Sri Lanka's Playing XI:
Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis(w), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka(c), Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Akila Dananjaya, Asitha Fernando, Mohamed Shiraz
MORE ON SPORTS TAK
