The India tour of Sri Lanka reaches its climax today with the decisive third One Day International at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The match is scheduled to commence at 2:30 PM IST.
The series, currently tilted in Sri Lanka’s favour with a 1-0 lead, promises a thrilling conclusion. India seeks a victory to salvage a drawn series, while the hosts aim to clinch the series. A loss for India would mark their first series defeat to Sri Lanka in 27 years, a significant blemish on their recent ODI dominance. The Men in Blue have enjoyed a decade-long supremacy over their opponents, a streak that is inevitably ending today. Sri Lanka’s last series triumph against India came in August 1997.
The spin-friendly conditions at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium have proven to be a formidable challenge for India’s potent batting lineup. The home side has astutely exploited these conditions to gain the upper hand in both matches thus far. The Indian batters were once again exposed to the guile of the Sri Lankan spinners in the second ODI, with Jeffrey Vandersay‘s career-best figures of 6/33 underscoring the dominance of spin bowling. The statistical disparity is stark, with twice as many balls bowled by spinners and nearly four times as many wickets claimed by them compared to the pacers.
The defeat in the second ODI has presented the Indian team management with a dilemma: to field their strongest XI or experiment with the squad ahead of the next ICC tournament. The newly appointed coaching staff led by Gautam Gambhir has enjoyed early success but a series loss would dampen the mood. The onus is on them to avoid ending the tour on a disappointing note, plagued by more questions than answers.
India will also be keen to address their inability to finish innings strongly. In both matches, Sri Lanka’s lower order has contributed significantly to the final total, capitalizing on India’s earlier successes. Despite losing wickets in the top and middle order, the hosts have managed to post competitive scores of 230/8 and 240/9.
Buoyed by their series lead, Sri Lanka will strive to maintain momentum and pressure the visitors. However, the team will need to rectify their inconsistent top-order batting, which has often let them down in the past.
Head-to-Head:
The ODI rivalry between India and Sri Lanka is a storied one. In their 170 encounters, India has emerged victorious on 99 occasions, while Sri Lanka has claimed 58 wins. Eleven matches have been abandoned without a result, and two have ended in ties.
Where to watch:
OTT: SonyLIV