Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 5 (ANI): Former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra said that the newly-appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir could have tested some new players during the ODI leg of India’s tour of Sri Lanka.
India is trailing by 1-0 in the three-match series against Sri Lanka in ODIs, which also features veterans, skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as they aim for some healthy game time ahead of next year’s ICC Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan. However, their presence failed to light up India’s fortunes as in both ODIs, India fumbled great, quickfire chances due to disappointing middle-order collapses. While the first ODI was tied, India lost the next one by 32 runs.
“The next series India plays is two-three months later, a rare thing for us. So for players like Rohit and Kohli…I feel there was a better chance of giving opportunities to other players during this series. I know Gambhir is a new coach, and he wants to spend some time with the experienced players, but it isn’t like he does not know the two of them,” Nehra said on Sony Sports Network after the match.
“He is not a foreign coach who wants to get his equation right with Kohli and Rohit. So it was a good opportunity for him to try out the new players, and Rohit and Kohli could play when the home season begins. I am not saying it is a wrong approach, but it could have been one of the strategies in this series,” Nehra added.
In the ODI series, the squad also features Riyan Parag, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant and pacer Harshit Rana, who have not played till yet. Also, dashing left-handers Rinku Singh and Yashasvi Jaiswal were ignored for the ODI series despite fine form in other formats.
Coming to the second match, SL won the toss and elected to bat first. Knocks from Avishka Fernando (40 in 62 balls, with five fours), Kamindu Mendis (40 in 44 balls, with four boundaries) and Dunith Wellalage (39 in 35 balls, with a four and two sixes) played a crucial role in taking SL to 240/9 in their 50 overs.
Washington Sundar (3/30), and Kuldeep Yadav (2/33) were the top bowlers for India. Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel also got a wicket.
During the run chase, skipper Rohit (66 in 44 balls, with five fours and four sixes) and Shubman Gill (35 in 44 balls, with three fours), started off well with a 97-run partnership, but a game-changer spell from Jeffrey Vandersay (6/33) reduced India to 147/6. Axar Patel (44 in 44 balls, with four boundaries) tried to fight it out for India, but they were bundled out for 208 runs in 42.2 overs.
Skipper Charith Asalanka (3/20) also delivered a fine bowling performance for SL.
SL took a 1-0 lead in the series with a game to go. Vandersay won the ‘Player of the Match’ honours. (ANI)
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