Wellalage claims fifer as SL beat IND by 110 runs to clinch series 2-0

Sri Lanka hammered India by 110 runs in the third ODI to clinch the three-match series 2-0 in Colombo. Chasing a 249-run target, India started strong with Rohit Sharma hitting important boundaries but crumbled against Sri Lankan spinners as Dunith Wellalage (5.1-0-27-5) spun his web and claimed crucial wickets of Rohit, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav.

India were bowled out for 138 in 26.1 overs with skipper Rohit (35) and Washington Sundar (30) waging lone battles. Earlier, debutant Riyan Parag took 3 for 54 on debut, but Sri Lanka still managed a competitive 248 for 7 after electing to bat first in the third ODI. Riding on Avishka Fernando's composed 96 and Kusal Mendis's well-compiled 59, Sri Lanka managed to post a good fighting total on a tricky batting surface.

Earlier, Parag spun his web on debut and claimed the maiden wicket of Avishka Fernando for 96. The young spinner trapped Avishka in front of wicket with a leg-break. It took India 20 overs but they finally broke through, with Axar Patel dismissing Pathum Nissanka for a solid 45 as Sri Lanka lost their first wicket. Mohammed Siraj had been wayward and Nissanka took full advantage of it by creaming a few quick boundaries. Shivam Dube, India's second new-ball bowler, however has bowled with a lot of discipline. Nissanka and Fernando have played solid cricket in the first 45 minutes, bringing up their 4th fifty-partnership in ODIs.

A couple of changes in the Indian Playing XI for the series decider. Riyan Parag makes his debut, replacing Arshdeep Singh, whereas Rishabh Pant gets a game ahead of KL Rahul. Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and as expected, opted to bat on a freshly-laid but fry pitch.

Who would have thought, right? India, with a near full-strength squad, down 0-1 against Sri Lanka, trying to save a bilateral series? Not of lot of this has happened recently. India have been bilateral bullies. Home or away, they have always found a way to blast through the opposition in the last 6-7 years. But now, in Gautam Gambhir's just second series as head coach, India have been pushed to a corner, where they are on the brink of losing their first ODI series against Sri Lanka in 27 years.

Where did it all go wrong? Well, to start off, the batting. The great Indian batting, which has now time and again found itself at the receiving end of a surprise spin package. In both ODIs – the tied game in the first ODI and the 32-run defeat in the 2nd – India were blindsided by Sri Lankan spinners and endured a batting collapse. In the opener, chasing 231, India were 75/0 before wickets went down in a clutter; whereas in the next one, the start was even better – Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill putting on 97. But on both instances, once Rohit perished, the wheels came off. Even the experienced duo of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul had no answer to the barrage of spin threat thrown at India.

Which has led us to the decider. For Sri Lanka, this can be a huge shot in the arm. They have had a tough couple of years, needing to play the qualifiers to make it to the T20 World Cup and a poor 2023 World Cup campaign. What's worse is that they haven't even qualified for the next big ICC event – the Champions Trophy in 2025. And even more importantly, their record against India off late has been pretty much one-sided. One more win tonight can ease off all that pain and give the team and its interim coach Sanath Jayasuriya reasons to cheer. The fact that they have India onto the mat without the likes of Matheesha Pathirana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dilshan Madushanka and a couple more of their match-winners is an incredible achievement, nonetheless.

All that however is easier said than done. This is India, the T20 World Champions and the ODI World Cup runners up we are talking about. They have made a habit of coming from behind and stunning the opposition. Ask the 6-time World Champions Australia or Pakistan, who seemingly had the match won against their arch-rivals at the T20 World Cup. And lastly, this is the same team that skittled Sri Lanka for 50 in the Asia Cup final and 55 in the World Cup last year.

A part of their poor batting could stem from the fact that a lot of them are coming from a break. In fact, for Kohli and Rahul this is their first ODI assignment since the 2023 World Cup, even though at the international level there is no excuse for it. In two matches, Kohli and Rahul haven't looked too convincing but didn't show any signs of rustiness either. But if India are to avoid this series defeat which is looming large, anything less than the form they displayed nine months ago is inacceptable.

India's shaky middle-order has raised questions. Mostly around Rahul's place as the wicketkeeper batter in the side. There are chatters that India may bring Rishabh Pant in the Playing XI. Not sure how the team management under Gambhir operates but had this still been the Rahul Dravid era, Rahul would have gotten another chance. With GG though, you never know. With no Hardik Pandya, the lower middle order does appear a bit low on confidence. Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar aren't cutting an emphatic figure either. Will the captain and coach be tempted to give Riyan Parag a debut. A big-hitting batter, it was Parag's bowling that won India the last T20I. Odd that he's been rested in a series where spin is dominating.

Rest assured, something's got to give. Captain Rohit Sharma has made it clear that he is not going to chance his batting approach come what may. And that he and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar clearly stated that there will be talks about batting in the dressing room indicates that the management is not letting the performance of the last two games brush under the carpet. With so much at stake, and India on the cusp of a rare series defeat, don't even for a moment, mistake it to be just another bilateral decider.