India vs Sri Lanka Live Score, IND vs SL 1st ODI: Siraj with the opening blow, Avishka Fernando out cheaply

The toss is done and dusted, and it’s Sri Lanka who are batting first. This is India’s first one-day international of 2024, and the build-up for next year’s Champions Trophy starts now.

India got off to a terrific start, taking just 2.3 overs to land the first blow. And it had to be Mohammed Siraj, right? With some early movement, Avishka Fernando wanted to go arial. The only difference in plan was that he mistimed it and hit it straight to the fielder. Not the kind of start expected by Charith Asalanka, who won the toss and opted to bat first.Rohit called tails but the coin comes down as tails. For Sri Lanka, Mohammed Shiraz makes his debut. Don’t get that wrong, it’s Shiraz. Not Siraj. Big news coming from the Indian camp is that Shivam Dube has been picked in the Playing XI ahead of Riyan Parag.
After the 2023 World Cup, India have played only a handful of ODIs. Three to be exact – against South Africa in late December. But with the T20 World Cup done and dusted, the Men in Blue are back to thrill in the 50-overs format as India take on Sri Lanka in a three-match series, the first of which takes place today at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The India vs Sri Lanka rivalry used to produce a string of high-octane, tense and exciting contests in the 1990s and the mid-2000s. But ever since the retirements of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, it has pretty much been one-way traffic – more so in the last four-five years – and the recently concluded T20I leg was a proven example of the same. Not only did India beat Sri Lanka 3-0, but they also thumped them from start to finish.

The ODIs promise to bring about little change as India have only been bolstered by the returns of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, and Sri Lanka dented with injuries to Matheesha Pathirana and Dilshan Madushanka, who have been ruled out of the series. But Sri Lanka’s misery is music to India’s ears. As the preparations for next year’s Champions Trophy get underway, India couldn’t have asked for a better opponent than Sri Lanka to switch from T20Is to ODIs. Rohit may want to stay clear from calling it a practice match, the huge gulf between the two teams, making it a mismatch of sorts, proves the Indian captain otherwise.

The returning duo of Kohli and Rohit isn’t the only comeback India is looking forward to. Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, who have bossed the ODIs lately, are coming back into the side after a long gap. Rahul has been away from the national picture since the Test series against England, while Shreyas’ contract was terminated by the BCCI. But if there are any two cricketers who deserve to walk back into the Indian team, it’s Rahul and Iyer. Who can forget their stellar show at the World Cup, where India produced that dream run of winning 10 consecutive matches and finished runner-up. Let not the memories of November 19 put a dampener on what these two guys achieved during that unforgettable two-month campaign. With Rohit, Kohli, Rahul and Iyer all likely to get a look in, the Indian ODI set-up promises to wear an entirely different look from its T20I unit.

Having said that, there is rain on the horizon. Yes, this time of the year is never easy on Sri Lanka, especially when there is cricket. Remember last year’s Asia Cup, where rain washed out a couple of games, forced some into reserve days and made the groundmen work extra time? Unfortunately, we are up and around the same of the year. Overcast and windy conditions make it a win toss, bowl first kind of a game. The R Premadasa has been a happy hunting ground for India, even more for Virat Kohli, who has scored over 600 runs from 11 matches here in Colombo and boasts an average of more than 100. If there is one venue Kohli would have loved to make a comeback, it’s here.

Then there is Kuldeep Yadav, who is on the road to becoming India’s No. 1 spinner across formats. The last time Kuldeep faced Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka in a non-final – the Super Fours of the Asia Cup – he picked up 4/43 to dismantle their chase of 214. They were bowled out for 172, falling short by 41 runs to give India a rather easy win in the end. What are the chances of a similar sight unfolding today? We say at least 80 percent. Why? Because this Sri Lankan batting appears weak against quality spin, and with Kuldeep ready to unleash with all his might, expecting some carnage wouldn’t be an understatement.

The ODI series marks the association that is Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir. In fact, there is so much history between the current coach and ODI captain of Team India. Rohit and Gambhir were teammates when India won the first-ever T20 World Cup in 2007. Even BCCI chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar was part of that squad. And now, today, 17 years later, as three are working in tandem to take Indian cricket forward and to greater heights. A beautiful chapter in Rohit’s career ended with Rahul Dravid moving on from his role as coach; however, with Gambhir coming on board, another one promises to ensue, one that is hopefully more blossoming and fruitful than the glorious period that went by.