SL vs IND: Sri Lanka Playing 11 for India, 1st ODI

SL vs IND: Sri Lanka Playing 11 for India, 1st ODI. India are hosting the 1st ODI of the World Cup Year 2023 at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, against Sri Lanka. The SL vs IND match will be played on 10th January, where key Indian players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul will be back in the squad for SL vs IND ODIs.

India played 24 ODIs in 2022, including a home series against West Indies and South Africa. India won 5 out of 6 home games. Since 2017, India and Sri Lanka have faced each other 13 times, and Sri Lanka emerged victorious on 3 occasions.

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The Sri Lankan team has struggled with the ODI format for the last few years. They managed to draw the ODI series played against Afghanistan recently. But to face a star-studded Indian side that too on Indian soil will be a massive task for them while playing the 1st ODI of 2023.

In July 2021, India played a 3-match ODI series on an India tour to Sri Lanka and registered a victory by 2-1. In the first 2 matches, the Indian unit comfortably chased down the target but lost the last game while defending the total. Yuzvendra Chahal was the leading wicket-taker on that tour, with 5 wickets in 3 innings.

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Sri Lanka played all the 3 ODI series against Zimbabwe, Australia, and Afghanistan at home in 2022. They will face the Indian team on an away series starting on 10th January 2023.

Though Sri Lanka have a good ODI record against other teams at home, the Indian team defeated them in 2012, 2017, and 2021. India also defeated Sri Lanka by 2-1 in 2018 when Sri Lanka was on a tour to India. In the last ODI series between these 2 sides, Avishka Fernando was the leading run scorer, with 159 runs in the 3 innings at an average of 53.

The Sri Lankan side is looking forward to balancing the core strength of the squad ahead of the ODI World Cup 2023, which will be played in Indian Sub Continent. The SL vs IND ODI series against India might help them achieve their aims before the World Cup 2023. Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis need to shine with the bat as these two are key batters for them ahead of a series against India.

Wanindu Hasaranga has been looking in good form since last year and is consistently picking wickets in the white ball format. He needs to deliver better with the ball if they want to put pressure on the Indian middle order in SL vs IND ODIs.

Pathum Nissanka scored the most runs for Sri Lanka in 2022, registering 491 runs in 11 innings with a ton and 4 fifties to his name. Charith Asalanka was also a constant with 426 runs in 10 innings while Kusal Mendis scored 388 runs in 11 innings, remaining unbeaten thrice.

Right-arm leg break bowler Jeffrey Vandersay was the top wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in ODIs in 2022, registering 14 wickets to his name in 7 matches. Wanindu Hasaranga played only 5 ODIs in 2022 and still managed to pick 10 wickets while Chamika Karunaratne registered an equal number of wickets in 8 innings.

SL vs IND: Sri Lanka Playing 11 for India, 1st ODI

Pathum Nissanka

Pathum Nissanka, the Sri Lankan opener, has scored 577 runs averaging 30.37 with 1 ton and 4 fifties. His career best of 137 came against Australia. He hasn’t played any ODIs against India.

Avishka Fernando

Avishka Fernando, the Sri Lankan opener, has scored 964 runs averaging 37.08 in 26 ODI matches with 3 tons and 5 fifties. He may be given another chance against India in the first SL vs IND ODI. Sadeera Samarawickrama or Ashen Bandara may also be given chances.

Kusal Mendis (wk)

Kusal Mendis, the Sri Lankan keeper, has scored 2616 runs in 90 ODIs averaging 31.9 with 2 tons and 20 fifties. He will definitely play against India in the first SL vs IND ODI.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa

Bhanuka Rajapaksa, the Sri Lankan middle-order batter has scored 89 runs in 5 ODIs averaging 17.8. He may be given another chance against India in the first SL vs IND ODI. He scored two ducks in the Proteas series but scored 24,0 and 65 against India at home in July 2021.

Dhananjaya de Silva

Dhananjaya de Silva, the Sri Lankan all-rounder, has played 63 ODIs amassing 1346 runs averaging 26.39 with 8 fifties. He has picked 35 scalps averaging 39.11. He will definitely play against India in the first SL vs IND ODI.

Charith Asalanka

Charith Asalanka, the Sri Lankan middle-order batter, has scored 752 runs in 19 ODIs averaging 47, and has also taken 1 scalp. He has scored 1 ton and 6 fifties. His career-best 110 came against Australia in June 2022. He will definitely play against India in the first SL vs IND ODI.

Dasun Shanaka (c)

Dasun Shanaka, the Sri Lankan skipper, scored 946 runs averaging 24.89 in 45 ODIs with 1 ton and 3 fifties. His career-best 102 came against Zimbabwe in January 2022. He has also picked 14 scalps averaging 37.57.

He was the 2nd highest run-getter, and top Sri Lankan leading run-getter with 124 runs in 3 T20Is averaging 62 in the preceding SL vs IND T20I series. He will definitely play against India in the first SL vs IND ODI.

Chamika Karunaratne

Pace all-rounder Chamika Karanaratne scored 376 runs averaging 34.18 in 18 ODIs besides picking 26 scalps averaging 28.75.

His best of 3/47 and 75 came in the last ODI series against Australia in the last series in June 2022. He will definitely play against India in the first SL vs IND ODI.

Wanindu Hasaranga

Wanindu Hasaranga, the spin all-rounder of Sri Lanka, has scored 672 runs in 34 ODIs averaging 25.85 besides picking 39 scalps averaging 34.79. He will definitely play against India in the first SL vs IND ODI.

Dushmantha Chameera

Dushmantha Chameera, the Sri Lankan pacer, has picked 44 scalps in 42 ODIs averaging 35.84 at an economy of 5.42. He will definitely play against India in the first SL vs IND ODI. Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka, Nuwanidu Fernando, Pramod Madushan and Lahiru Kumara are some other pace options.

Jeffrey Vandersay

Jeffrey Vandersay, the leg spinner, has featured in 19 ODIs and took 25 scalps averaging 29.72 with a best of 4/10 against Zimbabwe in January 2022. He picked 14 scalps in 7 games in 2022 averaging 18.79. He may play against India in the first SL vs IND ODI. Maheesh Theekshana, and Dunith Wellalage are the other spin options.

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