(Source X)
After witnessing a second consecutive collapse in the middle overs during the series against Sri Lanka, India captain Rohit Sharma was visibly disappointed.
Despite the dramatic draw in the opening ODI at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday, where Sri Lankan spinners held India to a tie despite the visitors needing just one run to win, expectations were high for a strong Indian comeback in the second match on Sunday. However, the same issues plagued the Indian team as Jeffrey Vandersay single-handedly dashed their hopes with a record-breaking six-wicket haul at the same venue. His performance led Sri Lanka to a 32-run victory, giving them an unassailable 1-0 lead in the series.
The Sri Lankan innings mirrored the situation in some respects. Choosing to bat first, Sri Lanka faced a challenging position at 136/6 before Dunith Wellalage and the lower order rescued the innings, guiding them to a competitive total of 240/9. In reply, captain Rohit Sharma once again played a crucial role with a dynamic half-century, setting a strong start for India. He also partnered with Shubman Gill in a 97-run opening stand, making it appear that India was on track for a comeback in the match.
However, once Rohit Sharma was dismissed, the rest of the Indian lineup faltered against the Sri Lankan spin attack. Vandersay was the standout performer, claiming the first six wickets in just 58 balls for 50 runs. Axar Patel tried to stabilize the innings with a run-a-ball 44, but Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka stemmed the flow of runs by taking two quick wickets. This was enough to dismiss India for 208 runs in 42.2 overs.
After witnessing a second consecutive collapse in the middle overs, India captain Rohit Sharma expressed his disappointment with the results. He issued a stern warning to his batters, indicating that there would be a serious discussion about their performance before the third and final ODI.
“We weren’t good enough. Don’t want to look too much into how we played. But there’ll be talks about our batting in the middle overs,” he said in the post-match presentation. “When you lose a game, everything hurts. It’s not just about those 10 overs. You have to play consistent cricket and we failed to do that today. Little disappointed but these things happen. You got to adapt what’s in front of you.”
India will return to the same venue for the third and final ODI of their white-ball tour against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.
