India will want to utilize their thin bowling resources and prevent the mistake from their previous game by avoiding too much experimentation when they clash with Sri Lanka in their do-or-die Super 4 game in the Asia Cup on Tuesday.
In the absence of injured Ravindra Jadeja, Harshal Patel, and Jasprit Bumrah, India does not have a lot of options to play with in the bowling department.
India went in with five bowling options against Pakistan and it yielded a negative result.
After a match-winning effort in the opening game against Pakistan, Hardik Pandya proved expensive and so was Yuzvendra Chahal, who has not been his best in the tournament.
The five-bowler theory also makes Hardik's four overs more critical. Axar Patel, who is a like-for-like replacement for Jadeja, can be brought into the playing eleven to lend more balance.
Avesh Khan, who was unwell ahead of the Pakistan clash, can also come back as the third specialist pacer.
When it comes to the debate between Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik in the team, the management gave a chance to Deepak Hooda at the expense of Karthik, who hardly got to bat in the first two games.
The bowling resources may not be enough at the moment but India need to decide quickly on their middle-order.
The biggest positive out of the Pakistan game was the performance of the high-profile top-order. All three, Rohit, K L Rahul, and Virat Kohli gave India a good start.
One can expect Kohli and two openers to go all guns blazing against Sri Lanka from ball one.
Having pulled off two close chases against Bangladesh and Afghanistan, Sri Lanka has turned their campaign around after a heavy defeat in their opening game.
Barring number three Charith Asalanka, Sri Lanka batters have made an impact, whether it was skipper Dasun Shanaka and Kusal Mendis against Bangladesh or Danushka Gunathilaka and Bhanuka Rajapaksa against Afghanistan.
Full Squads:
India: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Hooda, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Dinesh Karthik, Avesh Khan, Axar Patel, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Ashen Bandara, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrama, Chamika Karunaratne, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwanidu Fernando and Dinesh Chandimal.
(Inputs from PTI)
