NEW DELHI: Following India’s surprising series loss to Sri Lanka, captain Rohit Sharma expressed his concerns about the team’s inability to dominate spin bowling and their failure to execute enough sweep shots on a challenging Colombo surface.
Sri Lanka secured the series 2-0, marking their first ODI series victory over India in 27 years. In the decisive third ODI at the R Premadasa Stadium, Sri Lanka defeated India by 110 runs, with Avishka Fernando’s 96-run innings and Dunith Wellalage’s five-wicket haul leading the way.
This series was India’s first ODI assignment since their heartbreaking home loss to Australia in the ICC Cricket World Cup final last November, and it came ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan next year.
During the post-match press conference, Rohit Sharma highlighted the difference in approach between the two teams, particularly in how Sri Lankan batters consistently utilized sweep shots to counter the spin, whereas India struggled to adapt.
“They were consistent with sweeps and took their chances. Not many runs were scored down the ground; they didn’t use their feet as much as we expected. It was all about using sweeps and targeting deep square leg and midwicket fields, something we failed to do as a batting unit. We didn’t play enough sweeps, reverse sweeps, or paddle sweeps and perhaps used our feet too much. That was the difference,” Sharma explained.
He pointed out how Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando, who shared an 82-run partnership, capitalized on the turn and smartly worked the ball square of the wicket, contrasting with India’s approach.
“We were under pressure from the Lankan spinners instead of dominating them,” Sharma admitted. He also mentioned that players have the freedom to develop their own strategies for handling spin and playing on turning tracks.
Rohit emphasized the importance of maximizing runs during the powerplay, particularly in the first ten overs, as the pitches tend to slow down later in the innings. Reflecting on his own approach, he noted, “My personal effort was to ensure that I score as many runs as I could. It wasn’t about throwing my wicket away after the powerplay; I wanted to maintain momentum and intent, but unfortunately, I got out while trying to play a few shots. My batting plan is pretty simple and straightforward.”
India will need to regroup and address these issues as they prepare for future challenges, including the Champions Trophy.
