India buoyant but wary of SL, says Rohit

COLOMBO:

India are still buoyant after their T20 World Cup triumph but skipper Rohit Sharma said Thursday his men were keeping focused ahead of their next engagement with Sri Lanka.

Rohit and star batsman Virat Kohli both sat out this week’s 3-0 series sweep by the tourists, both having announced their 20-over retirement after snagging India’s first international trophy in more than a decade.

Both are back on tour for the first time since the Barbados final in June, for the first of three ODIs in Colombo on Friday.

“It was a great feeling,” Rohit told reporters. “We have to move on. It is time to move on now as well and think of what lies ahead of us.”

“We are not here to chill in Colombo. At the end of the day, the standard of Indian cricket is more important.”

Rohit said he was agonising over the choice of wicketkeeping mainstay K.L. Rahul or Rishabh Pant, who returned to internationals for the World Cup after a horror car crash and a long injury absence.

“You know the ability of both players. They are match winners in their own way,” he said.

“It is nice to have problems picking teams. That means we have quality.”

Injuries have bedevilled Sri Lanka, with fast bowlers Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara both forced to withdraw ahead of the T20 series.

Left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka and Matheesha Pathirana have also departed the squad with hamstring and shoulder injuries respectively, with uncapped Mohamed Shiraz and Eshan Malinga added as replacements.

Sri Lanka squandered opportunities during the T20 series as batting collapses hurt them in all three games.

The last match Tuesday saw them fall short, despite needing just nine runs in the final two overs with six wickets still in hand.

“India are a champion outfit. They are the world champions. It was a good learning experience,” debutant ODI skipper Charith Asalanka told reporters.

“For the ODIs we have a different setup and hopefully we will put up a good show. We hope to do well against a strong side.”

Squads

Sri Lanka: Charith Asalanka (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Nishan Madushka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya, Mohamed Shiraz, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando.

India: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, K.L. Rahul (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.

Injured SL pacers to miss India ODI series

Sri Lanka pacers Matheesha Pathirana and Dilshan Madushanka will miss August’s three-match One-Day International (ODI) series against India due to injuries, ESPNcricinfo reported on Thursday. Pathirana hurt his shoulder during Tuesday’s third T20 international against India while Madushanka has a hamstring injury, adding to the hosts’ fast bowling woes.

Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara are also out with illness and a fractured thumb. Uncapped Mohamed Shiraz has been brought in as replacement, team manager Mahinda Halangoda told ESPNcricinfo.

Touring India swept the T20 series and will play three ODIs against the hosts on Aug. 2, 4 and 7.