IND vs SL 1st ODI: India can certainly win series opener, here's why

India, Sri Lanka, 1st ODI — Image Source : GETTY IMAGES India vs Sri Lanka, 1st ODI

IND vs SL 1st ODI: In the series opener between India and Sri Lanka, the men in blue were extremely dominant with the bat in their hands. Before the series opener, India locked horns with Sri Lanka in a three-match T20 series and defeated them by a margin of 2-1. The same is being expected out of the men in blue in this three-match ODI series. India have already embarked on their journey to the 2023 ODI World Cup and they have started in style.

The men in blue, led by Rohit Sharma have registered a mammoth total of 373 in their quota of 50 overs. It was a batting display of the highest order with Virat Kohli scoring his 73rd ODI ton. As of now Kohli has scored a total of 45 ODI hundreds and is closing in on Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 One Day International tons. Rohit Sharma too joined the party with a blistering 83 off 67 balls, but he fell short of his 30th ODI ton by 17 runs. The Indian team have yet again breached the 350+ mark against Sri Lanka and this might be the key to their victory

Sri Lanka struggles with the 350+ mark against India

Before this, India scored 350+ runs against Sri Lanka on 7 different occasions. Their highest total against Sri Lanka is 414/7 in the year 2009 at Rajkot. Interestingly, Sri Lanka have never chased down anything over 350 against India and India will want to keep their record intact.

Team India have have a lethal bowling attack at their disposal which includes the likes of Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Umran Malik. This might make Sri Lanka's task even tougher. The Lankans will also have to deal with Yuzi Chahal's spin bowling and hence it will be interesting to see which way the scales shift.

India XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Umran Malik, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal