Follow UsContinuing the trend from the first two ODIs, Sri Lanka yet again won the toss and opted to bat first. It is a series decider after a tie in the first ODI, with Sri Lanka clinching the second clash by 32 runs.
Both matches, played at the R. Premadasa Stadium, have followed the same template. Batting first, Sri Lanka’s lower-order, powered by consecutive handy knocks from Dunith Wellalage, have put up scores of 230 and 240. India started well at the back of quickfire fifties from the skipper Rohit Sharma. However, the middle-order succumbed to Sri Lanka’s spin, leading to a tie and a defeat.
India need to win this fixture to level the series. They haven’t lost a bilateral ODI series to Sri Lanka in the 21st century and would like to keep that record intact.
Record in Colombo (last four years)
Team batting first: 10 wins
Team bowling first: 9 wins
No Result/Tie: 2
What did the captains say?
Charith Asalanka: “We are going to bat first. It looks the same like the previous two ODIs. Theekshana comes in for Akila Dananjaya. Guys are doing very well, we are in a good position. I would like to see someone score a hundred on this pitch.”
Rohit Sharma: “Plenty to play for, we've been challenged in the last two matches. It's clear as to what we need to do with the bat and ball. We've addressed it - what we need to do as a group. You got to give credit to the opposition, they played well and understood the position well. Another opportunity for us to correct. Two changes. We have Rishabh and Riyan Parag in place of KL and Arshdeep.”
What are the changes?
Sri Lanka have made one change, bringing Maheesh Theekshana for Akila Dananjaya (0/54 in the second ODI). It is a like-for-like replacement.
Sri Lanka XI: Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka ( c ), Janith Liyanage, Kamindu Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando
India have made two changes and also altered their combination. They have added Rishabh Pant and Riyan Parag, with KL Rahul and Arshdeep Singh making way for them. Thus, India have dropped a pacer and extended their batting resources with both Parag and Shivam Dube in the XI. Parag is making his ODI debut, becoming the 256th player for India in the format.
India XI: Rohit Sharma ( c ), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Riyan Parag, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj
The pitch report
Russel Arnold, in the pitch report, said, “Dry pitch once again. We will have a similar game. Fresh pitch though. The groundsmen have used the scissors to take out any grass. More cracks visible. Along with the turn, it can spit at you. It can be little more challenging for the batsmen. You got to be boring to get the runs here.”
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