Amidst a great display in all three departments during the second ODI of the three-match bilateral series, Sri Lanka came all guns blazing, defending a challenging total.
A stunning performance by Sri Lankan leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay derailed India‘s chase, leading to a 32-run win at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday. The hosts posted a fighting total of 240, but it was Vandersay’s exceptional spell that turned the match on its head, claiming six wickets to dismantle the Indian batting lineup.
India stumble in Colombo
India’s innings began promisingly with a 97-run opening stand between Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. However, the introduction of spin changed the complexion of the game, as Vandersay ran through the middle order, leaving India reeling at 150/6. Axar Patel provided some resistance with a valuable contribution, but it was not enough to prevent India from falling short of the target.
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Rohit Sharma takes responsibility for the defeat
Indian captain Rohit acknowledged the team’s shortcomings in the post-match presentation as India lost the last six wickets for 50 runs.
“When you lose a game, everything hurts. It’s not just about those 10 overs. You have to play consistent cricket and we failed to do that. Little disappointed but these things happen,” he said.
The 37-year-old also expressed his dissatisfaction with the team’s performance, particularly in the middle overs.
“We weren’t good enough. Don’t want to look too much into how we played. But there’ll be talks about our batting in the middle overs,” Rohit added.
Despite the setback, Rohit emphasized his commitment to his aggressive approach. He defended his decision to promote himself to open the batting, stating that it allowed him to take risks and score quickly.
“The reason I got 65 is because of the way I batted. When I am batting like that, there are a lot of risks taken. If you don’t cross the line, you always feel disappointed. But I don’t want to compromise on my intent. We understand the nature of this surface. It gets really tough in the middle overs. You have to try to get as many as possible in the powerplay,” the skipper explained.
Rohit also discussed the team’s batting strategy, acknowledging that the left-right combination was intended to facilitate easier strike rotation. However, he credited Vandersay for his exceptional bowling performance.
“You got to adapt to what’s in front of you. With left-right (combination of batters), we felt it’ll be easier to rotate strike. But credit to Jeffrey, he got six wickets,” he said.
The Indian skipper remained resolute in his approach despite the loss, insisting that his mindset would not change.
“There will not be any change in my approach despite the setback in this match,” Rohit declared.
India will now look to bounce back in the third and final ODI to avoid a series defeat.
