🏏India vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI - GIS, Thiruvananthapuram 🏏 - Page 2

Happy Makar Sankranti/Pongal/Lohri/Bihu to all🥳

Pitch Report: There's a middle square today, equal boundaries all side. The pitch looks really good, no grass on it. But there could be moisture underneath. Spinners have taken wickets here, and there have been low scores in the past. It looks like a good batting track, but in the Vijay Hazare games here, five out of eight times the teams were all out. Could be a tricky pitch. If I were Sri Lanka, I would choose to bowl first considering the dew that would come into play during the evening, says Kumar Sangakkara with comments also from Deep Dasgupta.

India have won the toss and have opted to bat

Dasun Shanaka: Environment here feels very similar to Sri Lanka. We have been good at the start but batsmen haven't been able to capitalize after that, that's something we have to improve on. Two changes - Ashen Bandara is in for DDS, and Jeffrey Vandersay in for Dunith Wellalage.

Rohit Sharma: We will bat first. Looks a good pitch, try to make the most of it. Still a lot of areas we can keep improving, today gives up a chance to perfect those. We want to play close to a perfect game, we'll never have the perfect game. Hardik and Umran are rested, Washington and Suryakumar are in.

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Avishka Fernando, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kusal Mendis(w), Ashen Bandara, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Karunaratne, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj

India going in with three frontline spinners, just two pacers today. What do you make of that team selection?

Mustafa Moudi : "Unpopular Opinion: Not a big fan of picking players on the basis of their performance in other formats. SKY is great in T20I but why pick him in ODIs for that. While adapting to ODI style he might lose his T20 Style, a thing happened with Pant earlier !!" Afree with the overall logic. But it isn't only Suryakumar's T20I form that has brought him in the ODI side. He was picked for both white-ball formats for some time now and it is just that he is not yet a sure-started in the ODI. So can't discard him based on a couple of outings.

Sandeep: "Sad to see no change in the mindset of Indian management.. this resting theory is not making any sense - either for batsmen or bowlers. Just give them as much matches as possible and let them fully settle in their respective roles before the key tournaments. 3 ODIs in 7 days....they should be fit enough to play that much cricket without any problem!" Today, i don't think it is just about workload management. Think the dry surface and cracks on them made them look towards an additional spinner. And perhaps also about giving Suryakumar another go in the format.

1:15pm Shreyas Iyer: "I do look at scoring runs on every ball when I go out to bat. I see to it that momentum is on my side. My approach is to chase balls. In ODIs if you get to a start, you have to see to it that you maintain the rhythm and not complicate things. [Pre-match routine] Depends on the workload. If we travel a lot, I try and give my body a break. Otherwise I get a good hit to see my eyes are in place. I don't think about the past or future but stay in the moment and look to seize every opportunity I get."

No national anthems. Good call to restrict them to only the start of the series. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill out in the middle to open the innings. Kasun Rajitha has the first new ball.