Sri Lanka v India | Tri-Series | Game 2 | Bulawayo | 30/5/10

[Sir john]

Jaded rivalry banks on new faces

Sidharth Monga

May 29, 2010
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Match Facts
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Start time 0900 (0700 GMT)

Suresh Raina had a poor first ODI as captain, Zimbabwe v India, Tri-series, 1st ODI, Bulawayo, May 28, 2010
India look to rebound against Sri Lanka after a disappointing loss to Zimbabwe © AFP
Related Links
Matches: India v Sri Lanka at Bulawayo
Series/Tournaments: Zimbabwe Triangular Series
Teams: India | Sri Lanka

The Big Picture
The greatest rivalry of our times resumes. Wait, when did it stop in the first place? Starting with the Asia Cup in July 2008, India and Sri Lanka have faced each other in a whopping 22 ODIs, six Tests, and four Twenty20s. The beauty of it is, what starts in Zimbabwe heralds a new beginning. By August 15, presuming these two teams make the finals of the three events they are playing, they will have played each other in seven more ODIs and three more Tests. And, whisper it lightly, there is a 20-day break for both the teams during the same period, which is a prime candidate for a hurriedly planned five-match bilateral.

Don't be surprised, though, if crowds in Zimbabwe and folks on TV give this rarest of rare contests a miss and find better things to do on a Sunday afternoon. That both the sides have rested their main players for the Zimbabwe tri-series is a small mercy, as some new contests might be seen.

The Indian selectors, though, have taken the whole rotation philosophy too seriously and forgotten to send a proper squad. At last glance, rotation in cricket meant resting important players in turns, one or two or three at a time. And even when players are rested en masse, the selectors usually ensure they send a balanced squad, unlike the one sent by India, which is made up of four specialist batsmen, two wicketkeeper-batsmen, three bits-and-pieces spinners, and six bowlers.

Sri Lanka, for example, have rested Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Sanath Jayasuriya, but they have Dinesh Chandimal, Chamara Kapugedera and Jeevan Mendis, among others, as like-for-like replacements. After India proved to be the equals of Zimbabwe, the minnows of the tournament, Sri Lanka clearly are the strongest side. It will take the young Indian side, three of whom made their debuts on Friday, and only four of whom have played a Test, some regrouping to compete with Sri Lanka.

Form guide (most recent first)
India LLWWL
Sri Lanka WLWWW

Watch out for...
Tillakaratne Dilshan's loss of form has been sudden and inexplicable. Perhaps he got used to India on low and flat tracks and found it too much of a culture shock when other sides on better tracks came prepared for him and cramped his style. That, like the other two captains in the tournament, he will be leading an ODI side for the first time will add more pressure.

After a smashing debut season, Ajantha Mendis, too, has slowly and surely become less and less effective. He will be bowling to inexperienced line-ups, and if he fails against them, it will be an ominous indicator of his future.

The heat is now on the Indian new-ball bowlers. It is no new thing for the medium-pacers to be the weakest link in India's limited-over sides, but these are new personnel, with no experience, and all by themselves in an unforgiving format.

Team news
Against Zimbabwe, India's medium-pacers went for 148 runs in the 23.2 overs between them. What's more, none of them troubled the batsmen. So India will be tempted to play both Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha. The only problem with that will be the presence of two part-time spinners in Yusuf Pathan and Ravindra Jadeja, who are more or less imposed on the XI because of the skewed nature of the XV. Unless, of course, India choose to play two wicketkeepers in Dinesh Karthik and Naman Ojha.

India (possible) 1 M Vijay, 2 Dinesh Karthik/Naman Ojha (wk), 3 Suresh Raina (capt.), 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rohit Sharma, 6 Yusuf Pathan, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Vinay Kumar/Ashok Dinda, 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Pragyan Ojha, 11 Umesh Yadav.

The last time Sri Lanka played an ODI they were badly hit by injuries. So while they lose Sangakkara and Jayawardene from that XI, they have reinforcements in Angelo Mathews and Kapugedera. There should be debate over whether they want to play two allrounders, in Mathews and Thissara Perera.

Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt.), 3 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 4 Thilan Samaraweera, 5 Chamara Silva, 6 Chamara Kapugedera, 7 Angelo Mathews, 8 Suraj Randiv, 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Thilan Thushara, 11 Ajantha Mendis.

Stats and trivia

* Suresh Raina has played 29 of his 91 ODIs against Sri Lanka, Virat Kohli 13 out of 24, and Pragyan Ojha eight out of nine.

* Over the last two years, India lead the head-to-head 13-8, but in multi-nation tournaments, Sri Lanka lead 4-3.

Quotes
"We need to work on our bowling. A couple of players are playing for the first time, but hopefully they will learn from this mistake."
Suresh Raina assesses the first game.

"I like it here. It's a good country. I made both my Test and ODI debuts here in Bulawayo in 1999, and I'm glad to come back as captain."
Tillakaratne Dilshan likes the environs.

Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo
RSS Feeds: Sidharth Monga

looks like lanka will win this one easliy,

 

[Romali_rotti]

OX

I recommend you change the title of this thread now to Sri_Lanka vs The Rockstars in order avoid any future complications...

 

[Sir john]

OX

I recommend you change the title of this thread now to Sri_Lanka vs The Rockstars in order avoid any future complications...

making fun of a cricket team is no good,as it mean a nation.
@ox think seriously?

 

[Romali_rotti]

making fun of a cricket team is no good,as it mean a nation.
@ox think seriously?

Ox was just joking around and at the end of the day I didnt take any offence to it, found it quite humerous actually lol.. If you think Ox labelling India rockstars was bad then you should see his humour used against his own country ) ....

 

[Romali_rotti]

Anyway Sir John, I hope your team keep trashing the rockstars which will get you guys some much needed international exposure (media wise) along with a wake up call for BCCI.. Oh wait I forgot BCCI doesnt care as long as there are sponsors money will keep coming, who am I kidding ? Fat_man_Singh will be playing for India in no time...

 

[Down2Earth]

C'mon sri lanka

 

[siccric]

SL is playing a somewhat secondary squad too so it might just be a good game

 

[Khabri420]

Granpa Jayasuriya won't be happy that he isn't playing this match.

 

[WithLoveFromCanada]

why india and sri lanka again?

 

[siccric]

why india and sri lanka again?

Yah really, they play way too much of each other. We need to make sure they don't play each other in the Asia Cup final again

 

[Sir john]

Anyway Sir John, I hope your team keep trashing the rockstars which will get you guys some much needed international exposure (media wise) along with a wake up call for BCCI.. Oh wait I forgot BCCI doesnt care as long as there are sponsors money will keep coming, who am I kidding ? Fat_man_Singh will be playing for India in no time...

zim cricket now in track.but team india is not so much strong,team ireland/scotland/holland can also beat them,

 

[Romali_rotti]

zim cricket now in track.but team india is not so much strong,team ireland/scotland/holland can also beat them,

OK now you are getting carried away....

 

[Friend786]

zim cricket now in track.but team india is not so much strong,team ireland/scotland/holland can also beat them,

zimbabwe is way better team than the teams u mentioned ! they r balanced side and r capable of beating any team in the world but u can't compare this zimbabwe team with netherlands or ireland !

 

[Friend786]

i don't know about u guys but i think zimbabwe is better than bangladesh ! i think zimbabwe should be a test playing nation

 

[Paradox]

I'd REALLY pay to watch a Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan match right now.

 

[wanted_desi]

I would rather watch Eng vs BAngla than this

 

[Friend786]

I'd REALLY pay to watch a Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan match right now.

that would be a great match but still i'll go with zimbabwe ! after all , experience at international level does count !

 

[Friend786]

experience cost india in the first match ! i won't be surprised if they loose this one as well

 

[adnan yasin]

69/2 in 17.3 overs

 

[siccric]

@ Raina thinking the umpire just assumes the bowling powerplay is from overs 10-15


Can't wait to see the look on his face when the last 10 overs of SLs innings have fielding restrictions

 

[adnan yasin]

PP has been taken now ..

 

[siccric]

Poweprlay is now taken. Dilshan is giggling. Mishra has an incredulous look on his face

from cricinfo ) I hate the fact that I missed this

 

[adnan yasin]

hahah.. yeah mishra will be thinking

*STUPID CAPTAIN... now i have to bowl in power play*

 

[Wassixpakistani]

Sri-lanka looking good after an early hiccup .

 

[BRIC]

damn..India winning comfortably

 

[AZ]

lol, is anyone watching it?!

200 up for India, looks like a cakewalk from here.

 

[Sir john]

easy win for india,they bowl very well today.

 

[BRIC]

lol, is anyone watching it?!

200 up for India, looks like a cakewalk from here.

) )
there might be some prayers going for somehow to make India lose this match. lets see if they are answered

 

[Inswinger]

Sharma might be getting some runs here but he needs to be careful. He might eat his ay out of the XI. He's on par with Yuvi.

 

[Sir john]

sharma is battling with kohli for a place in team.

 

[Inswinger]

sharma is battling with kohli for a place in team.

I think it's between Yuvi and Sharma. Thin and thinner......

 

[rajachoudhary50]

Looks like the rockstars are going to win with comfort....hmmm looks like losss to zimbabwe was just a bad day at office afterall....

 

[Sir john]

india wins at last.sharma score 2nd hundred in row.