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In a shocking upset, Team India suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka in the recently concluded ODI series. The result has sent ripples through the Indian cricket fraternity, with captain Rohit Sharma expressing his disappointment and vowing to rectify the team’s shortcomings.
A humiliating defeat
In the decisive game, Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat, posting a total of 248/7 in their 50 overs. Avishka Fernando led the charge with a solid 96, supported by Kusal Mendis who added 59. In response, India struggled against Sri Lanka’s bowling attack and were bowled out for 138 in just 26.1 overs. Dunith Wellalage was the star with the ball, taking 5 wickets for 27 runs, while Jeffrey Vandersay contributed with 2 wickets for 34 runs, leading Sri Lanka to a comprehensive victory.
The loss marked a significant setback for the Indian team, which has been a dominant force in ODI cricket for several years. The defeat has raised questions about the team’s preparedness and ability to adapt to different conditions.
Rohit Sharma opines on India’s series loss
Speaking after the series loss, Rohit admitted that the performance was unacceptable and that the team would undergo a thorough analysis to understand the reasons behind the defeat. He emphasized the need for individual and collective introspection. Rohit addressed the speculation of complacency within the Indian cricket team following their series loss, emphasizing that such an attitude is never present when playing for India, especially under his captaincy.
He acknowledged the superior performance of the Sri Lankan team, attributing their success to playing better cricket. The Indian captain explained the rationale behind their team combinations, which considered the conditions and the need to give opportunities to certain players. He admitted the necessity to focus on areas of improvement rather than dwelling on the positives, to ensure better preparation for similar conditions in the future.
“It is a joke, when you are playing for India there is never going to be complacency. When I am captain there is no chance of that. But you have to give credit to good cricket. Sri Lanka played better than us. We looked at the conditions and went with the combinations, there are also guys who need to be looked at and hence the changes,” said Rohit during the post-match presentation.
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Rohit emphasizes on the learning experience
Rohit also conveyed a broader perspective on the series loss, stating that it is not the end of the world. He highlighted the inevitability of occasional defeats, emphasizing the importance of resilience and the ability to bounce back. He stressed that losing a series is just a part of the journey, and the critical aspect is how the team responds and learns from such setbacks.
“There are a lot of areas we need to look at rather than the positives from this series because we need to be better prepared when we come across such conditions next time. These things happen, series loss is not the end of the world, you will lose an odd series here and there but it is about how you come back after the loss,” added Rohit.
