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Sri Lanka scripted a historic ODI series win over India after 27 years to make a huge statement after their 2024 T20 World Cup debacle. With a new captain and coach at the helm, the island nation made India look like a pretty ordinary side, which not many teams have done of late.
Sri Lanka thrived in home conditions, with their spin bowling unit proving too difficult for the Indian batters to handle. They were close to winning the series opener as well, which ultimately ended in a tie. Although that encounter could have gone either way, there is no denying the fact that the hosts were the better side by a significant margin.
Looking at the final series result and the manner in which Sri Lanka played throughout, it is quite evident that they had a lot of positives to take away. On that note, let us take a look at the three most prominent positives out of the lot.
#1 Top order's solidity
Sri Lanka's top three had a lot of responsibility against the Indian seamers, against whom they do not boast a great record of late. However, in this series, the trio of Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis clicked together to give India a lot of concerns, and left them frustrated over the lack of consistent breakthroughs in the first phase of the innings.
It was not until the third ODI that all three clicked together, but even in the first two matches there was at least one top-order batter playing for at least 20-25 overs. Having a set batter in the middle overs, being a link to the middle order batters was something India lacked in all of the matches.
Eve though Sri Lanka's middle-order were not among the runs, the platform set by the top order became the difference in the end, as the remaining batters were able to string some cameos on top of it and record a total out of India's reach.
They employed a cautious approach in the powerplay, but made sure to be not pinned down by the Indian bowlers for a long period of time. They rotated strike, punished the poor deliveries and got a better understanding of the conditions as the innings progressed.
#2 Bench stepping up at the time of crisis
Sri Lanka were hit with a major injury crisis leading into the series. The likes of Matheesha Pathirana, Binura Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, and Nuwan Thushara were all ruled out.
The hosts were forced to call upon uncapped Mohammed Shiraz and an inexperienced Binura Fernando to lead the pace attack. To make matters worse, they also lost Wanindu Hasaranga's services after the first ODI due to injury.
However, the replacement players were at the top of their game to fuel Sri Lanka's cause. Jeffrey Vandersay chipped in with a historic spell in the second ODI, picking up six wickets to help Sri Lanka attain the lead. Janith Liyanage and Kamindu Mendis, who are not regulars in the side also played some valuable knocks in the lower middle-order.
#3 Players contributing in more ways than one
There were a select group of players in the Sri Lanka squad that contributed in more ways than one, and this comes across as a huge positive for the team moving forward.
Dunith Wellalage in particular, was lethal with the ball, but also turned out to be a handful with the bat. His brilliant fifty and cameo in the second prevented India from cleaning up the tail and gave the hosts atleast a 30-run boost to the total. He was also rightly adjudged as the player of the series for his all-round contributions.
Charith Asalanka also had a great series as captain (primarily flicking the coin th right way), his field settngs and bowling changes worked well, and the spinners made the task quite easy for him as well. Apart from his captaincy, although he could not contribute much with the bat, he stepped up with the ball.
He was the match-winner in the series opener, picking up two wickets off consecutive deliveries in the end to secure a tie. He was also a menace for the remaidner of the series, ending up as the third leading wicket-taker of the series with six wickets.
