It’s been a week in Colombo for the India team, and they are yet to register a win in the series. Moreover, they head into the final game of the ongoing tour of Sri Lanka with the possibility of experiencing their first bilateral series defeat against their Asian neighbours in 27 years. The tour has not been the merriest of starts for Gautam Gambhir & Co. in the 50-over format, with much of the trouble stemming from their ineffectiveness against the Sri Lankan spinners in the middle overs.
In both games of the series, Rohit Sharma capitalized on the new ball to provide India with blazing starts while chasing fairly achievable targets. However, the Sri Lankan spinners ensured two significant batting collapses. The first game ended in a tie, while the second saw India lose by 32 runs, thereby sealing a victory for the hosts.
Indian all-rounder, Washington Sundar, has offered a defense of the two losses, framing them as opportunities for the team to prepare for more significant challenges in bigger tournaments slated for the upcoming year.
“Honestly, we are quality players of spin,” Sundar asserted. “We’ve always played on these kinds of wickets, even at home, in Tests, and in domestic cricket. We know a lot of our players have performed well in the middle-order, particularly against spin. It’s just a matter of finding a way individually to get the job done.”
To reinforce his point and boost team morale, Sundar adopted an assertive tone. “Everyone knows it’s a challenging wicket, but the Indian team always rises to the occasion when faced with challenges. That’s when we’ve been very effective with both bat and ball, emerging from tough situations successfully. That has defined the Indian cricket team for many years,” he explained.
“I think the same scenario applies in this series as well. It’s just about discovering individual ways to overcome these challenges and get the job done. It is a great opportunity to do so tomorrow,” added Sundar.
In both matches, India faltered while batting second.
. They went from 75 for no loss to 132 for 5 in the first ODI and from 97 for no loss to 147 for 6 in the second. Additionally, Sundar dismissed the idea that there might be a significant advantage for teams bowling second at the R. Premadasa Stadium pitch. “I feel the pitch is similar in both innings. In the evening, maybe the zip increases slightly and the ball slides in at a quicker speed, but overall, I think it’s the same,” he noted.
An interesting aspect of India’s batting against spin in the second ODI was their reluctance to use their feet against the Sri Lankan spinners, a technique that head coach Gautam Gambhir excelled at during his playing days.
“Gambhir was a high-quality player of spin,” Sundar acknowledged. “We’ve always seen him deliver brave performances, especially on such pitches against top-quality spin bowling. Naturally, he has provided significant input. That’s one of the reasons we practiced today—to find a way and make those small but crucial changes.”
“We’re the best team; we just need to step up in critical situations during games. Tomorrow is another chance for us to prove that and win the game. With big tournaments coming up, we will find ourselves in such situations again. It’s imperative to determine how to win these critical situations in similar conditions against exceptional spin attacks,” Sundar concluded.
As India gears up for the final match, the focus remains on overcoming the spin puzzle presented by the Sri Lankan bowlers. With seasoned players and promising talents in their ranks, the team has the potential to project a strong fight. This series, regardless of its outcome, provides valuable lessons and experiences that could prove beneficial in the ICC events and other major tournaments lined up for the year.
The challenge is steep, the pressure is high, but as Sundar highlighted, these situations forge the resilience and brilliance that the Indian cricket team is known for. The final match promises to be a litmus test for the squad, one that could either rewrite history or add a significant chapter to learning curves. The cricketing world watches closely, eager to see how India responds to the spin conundrum in Colombo.