India vs Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI at Mohali: Change of ends for Dananjaya. Iyer nudges it to fine leg and gets two. On the subsequent delivery however, he settles for a single. Rohit punches the final ball to sweeper cover for another run. Four off the over.
Preview: Still licking their wounds after the humiliation in Dharamsala, India will be aiming to roar back when they face a rejuvenated Sri Lanka in the do-or-die second One-day International (ODI) at the Punjab Cricket Association's IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Wednesday.
The embarrassing seven-wicket loss in Sunday's opener of the three-match rubber was an eye-opener for the Men-in-Blue, who are expected to face similar conditions when they land in South Africa later this month.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma (L) and his Sri Lankan counterpart Thisara Perera. Agencies
While Mohali may not be as cold as Dharamsala, the pacers could still have a say in the second match, considering it will be another 11.30 am start.
In such a scenario, Rohit Sharma's men will need to pull up their socks and learn from the mistakes of the first match, where the top order fell like ninepins.
It was once again the old war-horse Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who stood tall with a patient half century to lift the team's total to 112 after being down 29/7.
Moreover, the exclusion of the experienced Ajinkya Rahane from the playing XI without regular skipper Virat Kohli also raised questions on the team management's strategy in the opening game.
India went in with a relatively inexperienced middle order, comprising debutant Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey and Dinesh Karthik, who failed to cash in on the opportunity after the hosts lost the opening duo of Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan cheaply.
In the bowling department, the worry for India will be the performance of all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who once again leaked runs when the hosts were defending a paltry score.
Considering Sri Lanka cantered to victory in 20.4 overs, the spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav did not get to bowl and would be itching to get back into action after a month's gap.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, will have a golden opportunity to seal the series after ending a 12-match losing streak on Sunday.
The visitors will, however, need to revisit their top order batting after opener Danushka Gunathilaka and one-drop Lahiru Thirimanne failed to click in the first match.
The Sri Lankans will take a lot of heart from the performance of their experienced all-rounder Angelo Mathews, who not only came good with the ball, picking the crucial wicket of Dhawan but also guided the visitors home with an unbeaten 25.
The tourists will also be expecting another brilliant show from their bowling unit led by pacer Suranga Lakmal, who returned figures of 4/13, along with Mathews and Nuwan Pradeep.
The spin combo of Akila Dananjaya and Sachith Pathirana, complemented the pacers beautifully despite getting little help from the pitch at Dharamsala.
Teams:
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Washington Sundar, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul.
Sri Lanka: Thisara Perera (c), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Chaturanga de Silva, Akila Dananjaya, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushmantha Chameera, Sachith Pathirana, Kusal Perera.
With IANS inputs.
HIGHLIGHTS
After 24 overs,India 127/1 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 50 , Shreyas Iyer 8)
Pathirana continues. Shreyas drives the first ball to mid on and rushes across for a single. Rohit does the same to long on. Deft! Shreyas guides one past the slip fielder and Gunathilaka gives it a chase to keep it to three. One run saved. FIFTY! Rohit completes his 35th fifty; first as a captain with a single. Six off the over.
OUT! A wicket falls against the run of play. Dhawan rushes down the track to whip, Pathirana sees it and bowls it quick on leg. However, Dhawan goes on with the shot and finds the short midwicket. He departs for 68. Dhawan c Thirimanne b Pathirana 68(67)
FIFTY! Shikhar Dhawan has complied his 23rd half century. Was fidgety early on but grew in confidence as the innings progressed.
Sri Lanka: Danushka Gunathilaka, Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Asela Gunaratne, Thisara Perera, Sachith Pathirana, Suranga Lakmal, Akila Dananjaya, Nuwan Pradeep
The visitors have retained the same XI.
India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, Manish Pandey, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal
Washington Sundar to make his debut and will replace Kuldeep Yadav.
The toss falls in Sri Lanka's favour and Thisara Perera opts to bowl first in the second ODI.
After 29 overs,India 165/1 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 69 , Shreyas Iyer 25)
A top delivery. Pradeep squares up Rohit with a length ball that held its line after pitching. The Indian captain almost nicked it to Dicwkella. However, a bad follow-up delivery allows Rohit to score a boundary. The over ends with a brace and two singles.
This is the phase in the innings -- between 25th and 40th over that India should push ahead at above 8 runs an over. Only four fielders are permitted outside the circle and this should open up a lot of spaces to take advantage of. Shreyas Iyer and Rohit must step on it without haste.
That short-arm pull by Rohit that cleared the long-on boundary with ease was the stuff of dreams. That’s what pundits mean when they talk about the stand-in captain’s timing. Effortless as well as elegant!!
FOUR! Poor from Pradeep. Short and around waist height. Rohit pulls it to the backward square leg fence.
After 28 overs,India 157/1 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 62 , Shreyas Iyer 24)
Change of ends for Dananjaya. Iyer nudges it to fine leg and gets two. On the subsequent delivery however, he settles for a single. Rohit punches the final ball to sweeper cover for another run. Four off the over.
Spotted what looks like one of IAF’s bomber planes (sorry, not too acquainted with the defence sector). We have a jet passing by every now and then due to the proximity of the airport runway.
After 27 overs,India 153/1 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 61 , Shreyas Iyer 21)
Nuwan Pradeep replaces Akila Dananjaya. Rohit on strike. He dabs one towards backward point and scampers across for a single. Shreyas then gets off the srike with another single. Rohit scores the first maximum of the match. Eight come in the over.
SIX! Mistimed but gets the result. Rohit rocks back and pulls it wide of long on.
After 26 overs,India 145/1 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 54 , Shreyas Iyer 20)
Shreyas looking confident at the centre. He is not shying away from playing his shots. Meanwhile, an expesive over from Pathirana. 12 off it.
FOUR! Shot! Pathirana drops it slightly short, Shreyas stays low and slashes it through point.
FOUR! Shreyas waltzes down the track and lofts it over mid on.
Skipper Rohit Sharma gets to his 50. He's showing he has lost none of the appetite for a big innings. He was watchful for most of the period and is only now a lot more relaxed. Must have been worried at being put into bat on a pitch that looked green. But he and Dhawan did well to put the team on top of the situation
After 25 overs,India 133/1 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 52 , Shreyas Iyer 11)
Despite the wicket, the runs haven't dried up. India scoring them with ease. Six come off the over.
After 24 overs,India 127/1 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 50 , Shreyas Iyer 8)
Pathirana continues. Shreyas drives the first ball to mid on and rushes across for a single. Rohit does the same to long on. Deft! Shreyas guides one past the slip fielder and Gunathilaka gives it a chase to keep it to three. One run saved. FIFTY! Rohit completes his 35th fifty; first as a captain with a single. Six off the over.
After 23 overs,India 121/1 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 48 , Shreyas Iyer 4)
Right then, a new batsman at the crease. Can Sri Lanka build pressure. Shreyas fails to put away a bad full toss and bunts the fourth to long on for a single. Rohit opens the bat face and guides it to short third man. One run added to the total. Silly mid on deployed. Shreyas nudges the final ball to backward square leg.
Excellent catch by Thirumane at short midwicket. Dhawan in his anxiety to hit the cover off the ball mistimed the stroke off left arm spinner Pathirana and perished for a well made 68 off 67 balls. He and Rohit have laid a good launch pad for the other batsmen.
After 22 overs,India 118/1 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 47 , Shreyas Iyer 2)
A wicket for Pathirana and out walks Shreyas Iyer at No 3. He opens his account with a confident drive to sweeper cover. Another single follows and Shreyas collects his second run to cover once again. Good over for Sri Lanka.
OUT! A wicket falls against the run of play. Dhawan rushes down the track to whip, Pathirana sees it and bowls it quick on leg. However, Dhawan goes on with the shot and finds the short midwicket. He departs for 68. Dhawan c Thirimanne b Pathirana 68(67)
After 21 overs,India 115/0 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 46 , Shikhar Dhawan 68)
The spin has not had any effect on the Indian batsmen. They are cruising at the moment. Three singles and a boundary off Dananjaya's 4th over.
Rohit brings up the 100-stand with a well timed cut through backward point, as he now steers himself towards the 50-run mark.
Meanwhile, we have a vigilant group of fans at the pavilion terrace, where I am seated, who are actively asking people to not move near the sight screen that could disturb the batsmen’s concentration.
FOUR! Dananjaya darts it around leg, Dhawan kneels and sweeps it behind square.
After 20 overs,India 108/0 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 45 , Shikhar Dhawan 62)
The 100-run opening stand comes up after Rohit scores his fourth boundary. The boundary is followed by two singles. Re that Dhawan LBW: it was pitching in line but replays showed that he had inside edged it so a good decision from Sri Lanka to not review. Another boundary for Rohit, he is approaching his 50.
FOUR! Poor ball. Short, very shot and a hittable delivery. Rohit hangs back and thrashes it over midwicket.
Rohit and Dhawan have forged an excellent opening wicket stand. Dhawan being very aggressive and Rohit supportive.The pair started at three runs an over and then accelerated very well. The 100 of the partnership has come in the 20th over, a scoring rate of 5 runs per over. India should get to around 300 as their up the tempo
FOUR! Lovely use of wrists! Rohit waits for the ball, opens the face of the bat and cuts it between backward point and short third man.
After 19 overs,India 98/0 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 36 , Shikhar Dhawan 61)
The over begins with a Rohit boundary and the Indian captain almost runs himself out on the second. He bunts one down the ground and assumes it will roll towards long on but Dananjaya makes a sharp save and throws it to Dickwella. Fortunately for India, Rohit had made his ground. Seven off the over.
FOUR! Wow! Rohit's eyes light up after seeing a flighted delivery and he plays the inside out shot over covers.
After 18 overs,India 91/0 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 30 , Shikhar Dhawan 60)
So spin from both ends. Sachith Pathirana comes on. Can he give his captain a wicket? Dhawan whips it to deep midwicket for a run. Rohit does the same to long on. Appeal! Dhawan goes for a sweep and gets pinged on the pad. The umpire says not out. The players gather for a talk and opt against a review. The only doubt was whether it pitched in line or not and replays show it did! Wrong call from Sri Lanka?
A loud roar goes up as Dhawan reaches his half century. He was the first to walk back to the pavilion in Dharamsala, and now he is making his bat talk at the moment.
Meanwhile, the stands are slowly filling up at the moment, with the ones along the north side boasting of good numbers
After 17 overs,India 89/0 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 29 , Shikhar Dhawan 59)
The Indian openers are happily milking singles off the spinner. Another five-run over and its time for drinks.
Bit hazy out here at the PCA Stadium in Chandigarh. There are 16 floodlights out here, at a height that’s quite low compared to other venues, due to the airport runway being in close proximity. All of them have been switched on as of now.
After 16 overs,India 84/0 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 26 , Shikhar Dhawan 57)
Thisara is back. Wonder why as he has been leaking runs. Anyways Dhawan scores a single to long off. Rohit late cuts the second, beats the diving backward point fielder for a two. Hands Dhawan the strike on the third. 8th boundary for Shikhar Dhawan! He keeps the strike with a single to mid on.
FOUR! Slogged! 127kph. Dhawan waits for the delivery and pulls it crisply over midwicket.
Shikhar Dhawan's batting average of 66.69 against Sri Lanka in ODIs the second best for any player among players who have scored atleast 500 runs against them.
Dhawan's 50 came off just 47 balls. He was slow and watchful at the start and then accelerated after the initial overs.Lanka has been a favourite bowling attack of Dhawan. Today he is showing appreciation of the bowling by slamming them around to the cheers of the crowd.
After 15 overs,India 75/0 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 23 , Shikhar Dhawan 51)
No immediate turn on offer for Dananjaya. Dhawan milks him for three singles and a brace. Five off the over.
Only Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock's pair has added more fifty-plus stands (22) than Rohit Sharma and Shikha Dhawan's pair (21) since both Indian openers have started opening for India back in 2013
FIFTY! Shikhar Dhawan has complied his 23rd half century. Was fidgety early on but grew in confidence as the innings progressed.
Akila Dananjaya comes on to bowl.
After 14 overs,India 70/0 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 22 , Shikhar Dhawan 47)
Dhawan is on the move. He is pacing his innings fantastically well here. Slams three boundaries, collects a two and retains the strike with a single. 15 off the over and he three away from a fifty. Sri Lanka in a spot of bother.
Dhawan is coming into his own now. Using his feet to drive and working ball off his hips consistently to keep the bowlers under pressure. He's now scoring at a run a ball and the scoreboard has doubled in less than 4 overs.
FOUR! Beautifully placed. Third bounadary of the over already. A shortish delivery, outside off, Dhawan uses the pace of the ball and guides through backward point.
FOUR! Outstanding! Pradeep bowls it short and around middle and leg, Dhawan stands firm and swivel pulls it to the long leg fence.
This is what the queues outside the stadium looked like in the build up to the game. As I type, I hear there are a lot of folks still waiting for their entry.
FOUR! Streaky! Dhawan charges down the track, wanting to punch but edges it past the vacant slip cordon and to the third man fence.
After 13 overs,India 55/0 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 22 , Shikhar Dhawan 32)
Rohit guides ball one to third man and completes the 50-run opening stand. Dhawan hangs back and pulls a shortish delivery over midwicket for a brace. A similar shot albeit to square leg fetches Dhawan a single. Rohit steers one to third man and brings Dhawan back on strike. The final deliveyr stops on Dhawan and he punches it past the diving mid on fielder. One run taken.
After 12 overs,India 49/0 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 20 , Shikhar Dhawan 28)
These two adopted a cautious approach and didn't go for too many risky shots in the first 10 overs. But that mode had made both of them impatient on a couple of occassions. Wihth the first Powerplay over, they can milk singles more easily now and they do just that. Singles off the first three balls. On the fifth, Rohit tapped it to point and instantly set off for a run. The point fielder could've been more sharp there. Four singles in the over.
Dhawan and Rohit have survived the initial 10 overs without being separated. 33 is not a great start. But they now have the chance to up the scoring rate with hard running and attacking shots. Both are capable of doing both.
After 11 overs,India 45/0 ( Rohit Sharma (C) 18 , Shikhar Dhawan 26)
On the up once again from Rohit through cover for a single. Dhawan braeaks the shackles with back-to-badk boundaries. He seemed impatient in the previous over and this will give him some confidence. Expensive over, 12 off it.