Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra questioned India’s bowling in the ODI series against Sri Lanka, which the visitors lost 2-0. Chopra noted that there seemed to be a sense of complacency among the Indian bowlers.
India played a solitary front line pacer in Mohammed Siraj and gave Riyan Parag his ODI debut cap. Sri Lanka posted a par score of 248 runs on the board after Charith Asalanka won the toss in the third ODI.
The top three wicket-takers of the series were all Sri Lankan spinners with Jeffrey Vandersay, Dunith Wellalage, and Charith Asalanka taking eight, seven and six wickets respectively.
On the other hand, the Indian spinners Washington Sundar, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav failed to make the most of the favourable conditions on offer.
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “We weren’t able to close out the innings with the ball. There seemed a sense of complacency that we would get the wickets anyway and if we don’t get the wickets we will chase the runs anyway. The ruthlessness was missing.”
Meanwhile, Indian batters’ struggle against the Sri Lankan spinners was palpable. The renowned commentator noted that Indian batsmen play against spinners decently on flat wickets but they get troubled on turning pitches.
“I think we outbat the opposition and play spin really well on flat wickets. Out bowlers also bowl better than theirs on such pitches. However, when the pitches begin to turn, our batting becomes ordinary and the gap in the quality of bowling is reduced. So this is a problem they need to address.”
India could not come up with a collective effort in the ODI series as batters as well as bowlers failed to deliver the goods for the team.
India will next host Bangladesh for a two-match Test series, and three T20Is.
