If India’s batting performance in the ongoing first ODI against Sri Lanka on a lively Dharamsala track is a precursor of the things to expect on the pacer-friendly wickets of the upcoming South Africa tour, then it is safe to say that Virat Kohli & Co. will have to a herculean task at their hands if they are looking to win against the Proteas. The team was in a huge spot of bother after being reduced to 29 for 7 before MS Dhoni scored a sublime fifty to bail the team out of trouble and post a respectable 112.
After being asked to bat first, India were off to a disastrous start as Shikhar Dhawan was dismissed for a duck in the second over by Angelo Mathews. And even before the hosts could recover from that setback, Suranga Lakmal jolted them by dismissing Rohit Sharma for just 2. Dinesh Karthik and debutant Shreyas Iyer stopped the rot for a while but failed to ease the pressure as runs were hard to come by.
The partnership was soon broken when Lakmal dismissed Dinesh Karthik for a 18-ball duck. After 10 overs, India were reeling at 11 for 3, which is now their lowest score in the first 10 overs. Lakmal, who had rocked India in the first Test at the Eden Gardens, was not done yet and dismissed Manish Pandey and Shreyas Iyer to reduce the hosts to 16 for 5.
Iyer’s dismissal brought together India’s last recognized batsman Hardik Pandya on the crease. The allrounder began on a bright note,hitting two fours before being sent back by Nuwan Pradeep. Lakmal, meanwhile, was not done yet and dismissed Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a duck to leave the Men in Blue reeling at 29 for 7. MS Dhoni and Kuldeep Yadav then gave the innings a much-needed impetus by scoring some quick runs. However, just when it seemed the partnership will bail India out of trouble, Akila Dananjaya dismissed the latter for 19 to end the promising 41-run stand.
But despite wickets falling from one end, Dhoni remained firm from other and scored a brilliant 65 to help India cross the three-digit mark.
Here is how Twitter reacted to the innings:
“M.S. Dhoni, you will always be our captain” ~ Kohli
— The Lying Lama 2.0 (@KyaUkhaadLega) December 10, 2017
MS Dhoni today. #IndvSL pic.twitter.com/9M8lqiB2c9
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) December 10, 2017
MS Dhoni has spent more time with tailenders in his career than family.
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) December 10, 2017
Rohit Sharma to Dhoni when India crossed 54 runs mark. #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/oe3SljwegA
— Sunil The Cricketer (@1sInto2s) December 10, 2017
Parera should check Kuldeep Yadav's face closely. Kahin Dhawan toh nahi aa gaya wapas mask pehen ke
— Sunil The Cricketer (@1sInto2s) December 10, 2017
Diabolical collapse in Dharamshala!
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) December 10, 2017
Captain Rohit Sharma Samrajya: 8 am to 2 pm
— ⚰️? (@The_Sleigher) December 10, 2017
Anushka Sharma: I can't live without you
Virat Kohli: Same here
Indian Team: Ditto
— Sand-d Singh (@Sand_In_Deed) December 10, 2017
Take away Virat Kohli, and the Indian batting looks like it’s married to uncertainty.#IndvsSL
— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) December 10, 2017
28/6 and Virat Kohli is on his way back. #INDvSL #FakingNews pic.twitter.com/bNz5VMmPro
— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) December 10, 2017
Indian batting line-up without Virat Kohli is like a bank account without a linked Aadhar Card. #IndvSL
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) December 10, 2017
16-5 is the lowest score in India's ODI history at the fall of 5th wicket. Previous: 17-5 vs Zimbabwe in 1983 (India still won the match!!). #IndvSL
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) December 10, 2017
Little bit of swing and Indian openers perishes early again. #IndvSL
— Shubh Aggarwal (@shubh_chintak) December 10, 2017
Hardik Pandya managed to score in double digits in such a difficult time. He should be the finance minister of India. #IndvSL
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) December 10, 2017
https://twitter.com/AllTimeBakchod/status/939754592031481857
Indian in tatters when ball is swinging and seaming. Ominous with tour of SA just weeks away
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) December 10, 2017
Rohit Sharma may send MS Dhoni to the press conference with his same old 'Condemn DRS' lines. #INDvSL
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) December 10, 2017
Virat Kohli Watching Team India's Scorecard. #IndvSL #IndvsSL pic.twitter.com/opBI01YALe
— Sir Jadeja fan (@SirJadeja) December 10, 2017
Reaction of South African players after seeing India’s batting in seaming conditions… #IndvSL pic.twitter.com/zFhs19fXbn
— The Lying Lama 2.0 (@KyaUkhaadLega) December 10, 2017
Dharamsala giving a Durban scare. Always good to have a reality check. #INDvSL
— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) December 10, 2017