🏏India tour of Sri Lanka: 1st ODI at Colombo @ 2:30 PM IST🏏 - Page 3

The T20I series marked the start of the Gautam Gambhir era. Now a new chapter begins in ODIs with the focus being on the Champions Trophy next year followed by the 2027 World Cup. India have their big guns - Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli - back for the first time since the loss to Australia in the World Cup final. Rohit will continue to lead the side and this will be his first series with Gambhir. The Surya-Gambhir pair got off to a cracking start. How will the Rohit-Gambhir duo fare? There also some selections dilemmas that need answering. KL Rahul was the keeper-batter during the World Cup but Rishabh Pant is back. So is it going to be one of them or is there space for both? India have also picked four all rounders - Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar. How many of these four can make it to the XI? We shall find out the answers at the toss.

The last match on Tuesday saw Sri Lanka fall short, despite needing just nine runs in the final two overs with six wickets still in hand

Sri Lanka squandered opportunities during the T20 series as batting collapses hurt them in all three games.

We leave the hilly Pallekele behind and are bang in the middle of Colombo. Three T20Is done, it's time to turn our attention to the ODI format. India last played a 50-over match in December 2023, after finishing runners-up in the World Cup in November that year. They would want to shake off the rust - if any - that may have settled. Sri Lanka have played two ODI series this year. They first blanked Afghanistan 3-0 and then went down to Bangladesh 1-2 in March. How will both sides far in this three-match series? Hello and welcome to ESPNcricinfo's coverage of the first ODI at the R Premadasa Stadium. I, S Sudarshanan, alongside Deivarayan Muthu, will be your eyes and ears for all that unfolds in Colombo. Stay tuned.

Latest news---- Left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka and Matheesha Pathirana departed the squad with hamstring and shoulder injuries respectively, with uncapped Mohamed Shiraz and Eshan Malinga added as replacements

Sri Lanka have played three ODI series since the World Cup last year, they won two against Zimbabwe and Afghanistan while losing the other to Bangladesh. There has been a lot of chopping and changing in the leadership roles and that hasn't allowed them to have consistency in this format. Kusal Mendis was the captain during the World Cup and the three series that followed but he has been replaced by Charith Asalanka. However, they have generally done well at home and their last series defeat came in 2021 against India. So that should boost their morale even though they will be without some of their key bowlers - Matheesha Pathirana and Dilshan Madhushanka. They do have an experienced spin attack and the pair of Hasaranga and Theekshana have to shoulder the responsibility. Sri Lanka haven't beaten India in a bilateral series for a long time. Can they change that? We shall find out..

Sri Lanka ravaged by Injuries. India vs Sri Lanka Live Score: Injuries have bedevilled Sri Lanka, with fast bowlers Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara both forced to withdraw ahead of the T20 series.

Impressive and solid Rahul ve Pant, who are going to play today?? Pant played in two of the three T20s against Sri Lanka last month but faces competition from Rahul, who has been solid behind the stumps and impressed during the 2023 50-overs World Cup at home

First-choice Pant last featured in an ODI in November 2022, a month before being involved in a near-fatal car accident, but the 26-year-old has since made a comeback to the national team and was part of India's triumphant Twenty20 World Cup in June.

Surya to Rohit: 'Aapke one-liners ka wait karunga' -

Sri Lanka are the hosts alright, but they wouldn't want to look back for now. Because all they see would be a pattern - of batting collapses. We saw three of those in epic proportions in the T20I series. Mohammed Siraj troubled them in the Asia Cup as well as at the World Cup last year. But Sanath Jayasuriya, the interim Sri Lanka head coach, backed his boys to come good. He has said that there is no lack of commitment from the young side and that all hinges on how they tackle pressure. Of course, injuries to key bowling figures in Dilshan Madushanka, Dushmantha Chameera and Matheesha Pathirana among others have not helped Sri Lanka too.

One of those pitches you look at think "plenty of runs", says Scott Styris. Very hot in Colombo. One of the middle pitches that was last used in the LPL 2024 Qualifier. Square boundaries are 77m and 73m. Very little grass on the surface, observes Styris. Very little turn and waist-high bounce. A little bit of spin but nothing like we saw in Kandy in the third T20I, he adds. Might get better under lights.

Sri Lanka have won the toss and have opted to bat

(Nothing new)

Cheers..