After securing three consecutive limited-overs series wins, Charith Asalanka-led Sri Lankan side is brewing up with a lot of confidence. The battle-hardened outfit has slowly become a force to reckon with in recent times. The skipper Asalanka now has some serious ambitions for his side and expects them to be as good as they were prior to 2014. 

The cricket-driven island nation was in the midst of its golden run between 2007-2014. During this period, Sri Lanka was often considered a tough opposition, especially in major ICC events where they managed to make no fewer than five World Cup final appearances (three T20Is and two ODIs) before going on to win their maiden T20 World Cup title in 2014. 

But the wheels had fallen off following the retirement of legends like Jayawardene and Sangakkara in 2014-15 and as a result, the team slipped into a hole and started witnessing a downward trajectory, especially in the white-ball format. However, with some sensational series wins against India, New Zealand, and West Indies, Asalanka hopes to revive the legacy of the vintage Lankan squad and replicate some of the old magic that the team possessed back in the day.

What does Asalanka aspire to do for Sri Lankan cricket?

As a first step, the Lankan skipper aims to propel his side up in the ICC Rankings and cement their place in the top three. In T20I cricket, his side is dismally ranked at number eight while in ODI, the Lankan side is up at the sixth position but still faces an inevitable exclusion from the upcoming Champions Trophy. Being the skipper of the Lankan side in the ODI and T20I formats, Sri Lanka have to compete fiercely on all fronts and continuously strive for positive progress. 

"Our goal is to climb to the top three in the rankings. If we've consistently been winning, when we go to the ICC tournaments, we won't get exposed. We'd have played good teams and won, like we used to do in 2014 and before, when we used to get to the semi-finals easily. We are hoping to come back to that level. It's important to play really well from tour to tour."

Their upcoming challenge against the Black Caps

It is worth mentioning that Sri Lanka's unprecedented resurgence in international cricket has largely been at home, most notably on turning wickets. This outfit is yet to be tested in alien conditions outside the Indian subcontinent. To build upon their dominating run, the Sri Lankan team will need to win matches consistently in away conditions.

But on the back of some emphatic series wins at home in recent times, one can safely conclude that the Asalanka-led Sri Lanka side have taken a step in the right direction.  They will now be up against the Black Caps for a five-match white-ball series who are coming off on the back of a historic 3-0 Test series sweep against India in their own backyard. 

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Sri Lanka secured an impressive series victory over the West Indies in the second ODI, winning by five wickets and clinching the series with one game to spare. Under the guidance of Sanath Jayasuriya, the Lankan Lions showcased their strength in the ODI format, marking their second consecutive series win at home. Despite rain interruptions that delayed the match by two hours and shortened it to 44 overs per side, Sri Lanka was undeterred. Opting to bowl first, they dismantled the West Indies top order, reducing them to a precarious 58/8 within 15.2 overs. However, Sherfane Rutherford seized the chance to rebuild, capitalizing on dropped catches to score a resilient 80 off 82 balls. He, alongside Gudakesh Motie, put together a ninth-wicket partnership of 119 runs, lifting the visitors to a fighting total of 189 in 36 overs.

Sri Lanka’s response was controlled and confident, successfully chasing down the target with five wickets in hand. Charith Asalanka played a crucial role throughout the series, earning him the Player of the Series title for his consistent contributions with the bat. This victory extended Sri Lanka’s winning streak in ODIs, further solidifying their position under Jayasuriya’s leadership. The home crowd witnessed another thrilling performance, as the Lankan bowlers and batters stepped up to claim a well-deserved series win, demonstrating both skill and resilience in challenging conditions.

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Breakdown of Asalanka's Performance 

Charith Asalanka’s exceptional performance throughout the series against the West Indies showcased his versatility as a batsman, ultimately earning him the Player of the Series award. Analyzing his run distribution against various bowler types, it’s clear that Asalanka adapted his approach based on the style of each bowler, contributing crucial runs at pivotal moments to secure victories for his team. His ability to handle both pace and spin underlined his technical proficiency and composure under pressure, making him a cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s batting lineup.

Against left-arm orthodox spinners, Asalanka played a steady game, scoring 20 runs from 22 balls with a strike rate of 90.9. He managed to hit three boundaries, indicating his ability to find scoring opportunities, though he lost his wicket once against this type of bowling. His cautious approach, reflected by a high dot-ball percentage of 50%, suggests that Asalanka chose to play safe rather than take unnecessary risks. This balance between caution and aggression allowed him to build a foundation without compromising his wicket, proving vital in the context of the series.

The leg spinners, however, seemed to pose a unique challenge for Asalanka. Over two innings, he could only muster 5 runs from 7 balls against right-arm legbreak bowling, with a strike rate of 71.4. Interestingly, he maintained a low dot-ball percentage of 28.6%, which shows he was able to rotate the strike even though he didn’t score much. By adopting a defensive stance against leg spin, Asalanka demonstrated his game awareness, carefully navigating the threat posed by this bowling style. Although the scoring was limited, his approach ensured he kept his wicket intact.

Asalanka truly excelled against the right-arm medium pacers, scoring 57 runs off 48 balls at an impressive strike rate of 118.8. His attacking instincts came to the fore here, as he smashed eight fours and two sixes, maximizing scoring opportunities. His high score of 29 against this bowling type highlights his ability to shift gears and take on medium pace when the situation called for it. Despite facing a high dot-ball percentage of 56.2%, Asalanka was able to maintain a healthy strike rate, balancing attack with patience to extract maximum value from his innings.

Right-arm offbreak bowlers also faced the brunt of Asalanka’s calculated aggression, as he scored 62 runs off 57 balls with a strike rate of 108.8, including four fours and three sixes. Notably, he managed a high score of 36, showcasing his confidence in handling spin bowling. With a dot-ball percentage of 45.6%, Asalanka kept the scoreboard ticking while capitalizing on any loose deliveries, highlighting his well-rounded game against spinners. This adaptability against different types of bowling not only cemented his role as a dependable batsman but also set the stage for his Player of the Series recognition.

In summary, Asalanka’s run distribution against varying bowling types demonstrates his tactical acumen and skillful execution. Whether it was playing safe against spinners, attacking the medium pacers, or rotating the strike to keep the innings steady, he displayed a mature, well-rounded approach. His ability to adapt and perform consistently underlined his significance in the series and made him an invaluable asset for Sri Lanka. It was this all-around batting prowess that earned him the Player of the Series award, a fitting tribute to his impactful contributions in each game.

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The three-match T20I series between India and Sri Lanka began on Saturday, July 27, in Pallekele. Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl first against the world champions.

New captains lead the way

This match starts a new chapter for both teams as they have new T20I captains. Suryakumar Yadav has taken over from Rohit Sharma as India’s T20I captain after Rohit retired from the format. Charith Asalanka is the new captain for Sri Lanka, following Wanindu Hasaranga’s resignation after their poor T20 World Cup performance, where they didn’t advance past the group stage.

“We are going to bowl first. The pitch looks good, and we want to see how it plays. We’re going with a 6-5 batters-bowlers combination. I want to give each player specific roles, so we’re using five bowlers. You can expect more wins and consistency,” said Asalanka after winning the toss.

Shivam Dube and Sanju Samson left out

India’s new team management surprised everyone with their team selection. Allrounder Shivam Dube and star batter Sanju Samson were left out of the Playing XI for the series opener. Dube played in all eight of India’s games at the T20 World Cup last month, and Samson was also part of the squad.

Despite some good performances, Dube seems to need to prove himself to the new management. Instead of Dube, the team has given young Riyan Parag another chance to shine in international cricket.

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Batting in the middle order is a fast-disappearing art. The demands of numbers four and five vary with batters sometimes coming in at the fall of early wickets needing to stabilize and sometimes coming in with the license to go and the pressure to add quick runs to push the score. In Charith Asalanka’s case, he was tasked with closing out a chase against Pakistan, taking the game deep and absorbing all the pressure thrown at him.

Charith Asalanka is everything a number five player could ask for. He bats in the middle-order, can find the gaps and rotate strike, was their under-19 captain, and can also bowl off-spin at a more than handy level. As a batter, though he does not have the effortlessness or fluency of a Dhananjaya De Silva, but knows how to get the job done.

Since 2021 no batter has made more runs at number five than Charith Asalanka. He did the same at a fast pace and has made the spot his own. A decent top-order doing their job and protecting him from the new ball has helped, but Charith Asalanka has taken Sri Lanka from a time where they would collapse after the loss of their top three to finding ways to continue to go on, barring the case against India where the line-up collapsed collectively.

In the Asia Cup, with Dasun Shanaka and Dhananjaya De Silva underperforming the onus was on him. In the end without any flashy or glory shots, Charith Asalanka did get the job done, winning a game almost on his own after a collapse against Pakistan. His job though did not stop with the bat in recent times.

In his brief career, Charith Asalanka has been a handy off-spinner capable of bowling a few silent overs in the middle, in the mould of a Suresh Raina. Against India though, with a track turning square, Charith Asalanka went from a side attraction to the center of attention, competing with Wellalage on his way to a four-wicket haul.

He has proven that he can do what is needed of a number five, playing the three-dimensional role and also showing flexibility with the bat. His game against the new-ball though needs to be tested a bit more with Asalanka succumbing easily to the Indian pacers in the Asia Cup Final, but Asalanka surely has the potential to make a career out as Sri Lanka’s middle-order batter.

Preview

The first India Vs Sri Lanka game was played with both sides severely depleted. India’s bench strength turned out to be stronger as Sri Lanka were completely outplayed. The game turned out to be a chance for India as they tried all their bowling options and didn’t use their main bowlers completely. The likes of Bumrah, Chahal, Harshal Patel and Kumar finished without completing their quota. India also tried Jadeja up the order. A spot of bother though is the fielding and Rohit Sharma has acknowledged the area of weakness.

Sri Lanka struggled to get going but will be happy seeing Asalanka’s form and Karunaratne’s striking ability. They will be without Theekshana for the rest of the series and will be hoping Hasaranga returns soon in the India Vs Sri Lanka series.

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Match Details

Match: India Vs Sri Lanka

Date: 26^th February 2022

Time: 7:000 PM IST

Venue: Dharamshala

Weather Report

The weather for the India Vs Sri Lanka game is a spot of concern. Played in one of the most beautiful stadiums in the World, Dharamshala has seen rain play spoilsport on lots of occasions in the past. Rain is in the forecast yet again and a frustrating day seems likely.

Pitch Report

The last T20I in Dharamshala was back in 2016 and the pandemic has seen the stadium lose out on IPL games as well. Predicting the nature of the surface is tough but the ground generally sees a lot of high scores.

India Vs Sri Lanka Predicted Playing XI

India Predicted Playing XI

India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Ishan Kishan (wk), 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Sanju Samson, 5 Deepak Hooda, 6 Venkatesh Iyer, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Harshal Patel, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Yuzvendra Chaha

Sri Lanka Predicted Playing XI

Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Danushka Gunathilaka, 2 Pathum Nissanka, 3 Charith Asalanka, 4 Janith Liyanage, 5 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 6 Dasun Shanaka (capt), 7 Chamika Karunaratne, 8 Dushmantha Chameera, 9 Jeffrey Vandersay, 10 Praveen Jayawickrama, 11 Lahiru Kumara

Team News

India will go unchanged unless Ruturaj Gaikwad is fit. In case he is fit, India will have to see who to rotate.

Sri Lanka may go with Dickwella in place of Chandimal as they look to put in a player who can bat with lots of intent and unorthodox technique.

Key Players

Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja is making a comeback after an injury and would have been happy to see the reception for him in the first T20. He got a chance to bat up the order and bowled his full quota taking a wicket as well. With Jadeja in good form over the last few years, Rohit Sharma has mentioned the possibility of promoting Jadeja in a bid to get more out of his batting. In case he does get a chance, Jadeja will finally be able to show his ability up the order.

Charith Asalanka

Asalanka was among the top run-scorers in the T20 World Cup and is Sri Lanka’s most consistent batter at the moment. He struggled in Australia but was the only player to show some fight against India.

India Vs Sri Lanka Match Tips

The India Vs Sri Lanka match has a rain cloud hovering over it leaving high chances for no-result. If any quantity of the game is possible though India will be likely to win given their recent form, strength and Sri Lanka’s struggle to find the right balance. Unless the likes of Asalanka manage to bat well, and the others show some intent around him it will be tough for Sri Lanka to pull of an upset in Dharamshala.

Match Prediction: India will win the match.