Sri Lanka vs India 2017: Five Talking Points of the ODI Series

Jan 9, 2019 at 4:01 PM

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Sri Lanka vs India 2017: Five Talking Points of the ODI Series

The ODI affair in Sri Lanka was always expected to be a smooth one for India. After all, the side which lost to Zimbabwe in an ODI series barely a month ago was supposed to capitulate against India as well.

But the extent of Sri Lanka’s series loss was a bitter pill to swallow, as the once powerhouse of ODI cricket didn’t turn up in any of the games. Batting first in the four games out of the five, the hosts failed to cross the 240-run mark even once, as India bossed them in every game. Wanting to experiment with every game and test their bench strength, India achieved their primary ambition, as all 15 members of the squad were well tested.

Despite there being a couple of disappointments, overall a 5-0 series whitewash victory offers a lot of positivity for the men in blue. Below, we have a look at the five big talking points of the ODI series for the Indians.

  1. Spinners Impressing Massively:
Axar Patel. Image Courtesy: Getty Images

Led mainly by the returning Axar Patel, the Indian spinners were absolutely on the money, owning the middle-overs. Right from the first ODI at Dambulla, where it seemed Sri Lanka would build up on the promising start, it was the Indian spinners who got the team right back into the game by strangling the hosts in the middle overs and building up some pressure, which eventually led to a collapse.

All three spinners in Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav impressed and were among the wickets. Patel though, was a massive positive, as he took six wickets in four games, at an economy rate of just 3.85.

These stats are enough for him to retain his place for the upcoming assignment against Australia, and it needs to be seen who his support spinners will be.

  1. Jasprit Bumrah Emerging as a Handy New Ball Bowler:
Jasprit Bumrah. Image Courtesy: Getty Images

After being mocked and questioned for his ill fated no ball in the ICC Champions Trophy final, Bumrah came back fiercely in the five games.

Picking up a record 15 wickets in the series, the most for any pacer in a five-match bilateral series, the unorthodox pacer was right on the money. The heartening aspect though was in the fact that he troubled the Sri Lankans even with the new ball, and proved his credentials as someone who could be relied upon with the new ball when a lot of discipline is needed.

At the death, he was terrific as usual, making a mess out of the timber on more occasions than not. It wasn’t surprising at all to see him being named the Man of the Series for his efforts with the ball.

  1. Top 3 Once Again Proving their “Best in the World” Tag:
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Image Courtesy: Getty Images

For a while now, India’s top three in the form of Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been termed as the greatest top three in ODI’s. The run amassing spree of the trio remains profusely top notch and unparalleled.

In every game of the series, you could see at least two members of the top three making it big with their efforts and getting India off to flying starts and providing a solid base. With 330 and 302 runs by Kohli and Sharma, respectively, it is just an understatement to say that they enjoyed facing Sri Lanka.

While Kohli and Sharma scored two tons each, Dhawan scored a blistering ton in the series opener at Dambulla. Going into the 2019 World Cup, India’s primary weapons with the bat remain their elusive top three.

  1. KL Rahul Messing Up Numerous Chances:
KL Rahul. Image Courtesy: Getty Images

Probably the only disappointment for India in this series was the recklessness put forward by their latest number four, KL Rahul.

Despite being backed for the position ahead of a seasoned campaigner like Manish Pandey, Rahul simply messed up his chances in the three innings he batted in. Each time, he was dismissed by Akila Dananjaya and fell into his trap.

His shot in the third ODI though, was a let down of a tremendous magnitude as it defied logic. Having a clear weakness against spin, Rahul is far from being an ideal number four for India and could have to wait for a little longer.

  1. MS Dhoni Proving his Worth Once Again:
MS Dhoni. Image Courtesy: Getty Images

There has been a reason why the think tank in that Indian dressing room often terms Dhoni as someone of invaluable thoughts and expertise.

These five matches proved just that as the former skipper once again displayed his immense zeal and class in the series. Rescuing India out of dire straits in the second and third ODI’s, Dhoni was instrumental in finishing those low scoring thrillers successfully. His partnership with Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the second ODI was probably the most interesting aspect of the series.

Not even being dismissed once in the series, Dhoni amassed a total of 162 runs in the series and ending all speculations about his near future.

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