IND vs SL 2023: 3 players who could score the most runs in the 3rd ODI 

After taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series in Kolkata, Team India are set to lock horns with Sri Lanka for the third and final ODI. The encounter is scheduled to be played at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, January 15.

India and Sri Lanka will both be disappointed with their batting efforts from the last game and will expect a better outing on Sunday.

At 102/1, the guests were in a commanding position, but a middle-order collapse saw them get bundled out for only 215 in 39.4 overs.

Likewise, the Men in Blue too endured a dodgy start to their run-chase in Kolkata. They lost their top four batters with 86 runs on the board. Had KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya not come up with a crucial 75-run partnership, the hosts could've been in serious trouble.

As the series moves to the Greenfield Stadium in Trivandrum, batters will need to apply themselves. It won't be a batting paradise like it was in Guwahati, but if the batters take time to settle in, they can reap rewards later on.

On that note, let's take a look at three batters who can do well and score the most runs in the third ODI.

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#3 Virat Kohli - India

Virat Kohli top-scored for India in the first ODI [Pic Credit: ICC]

With 2337 ODI runs against Sri Lanka at an immaculate average of 59.92 and at a strike rate of 91.79, Virat Kohli has dominated the Sri Lankan bowling attack for more than a decade now.

He has smashed 11 half-centuries and nine tons against the island nation, one of which came in the very first game of the series in Guwahati.

Although Kohli was dismissed after scoring just four runs during the previous outing in Kolkata, he will always be in contention to score the most runs whenever he plays.

Moreover, the third ODI of the series will be Kohli's 50th ODI against Sri Lanka and he will certainly want to mark it with another special batting display.

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#2 Kusal Mendis - Sri Lanka

Kusal Mendis can play at a brisk rate for Sri Lanka [Pic Credit: BCCI]

With almost 200 international games to his name, Kusal Mendis is one of the most experienced batters in Sri Lanka's line-up. He played some handy knocks during the T20I series and looked good in the second ODI as well before being dismissed for a run-a-ball 34.

If Sri Lanka are to challenge India, Mendis will have to bat longer. The 27-year-old is known for taking the game to the opposition and will be a threat to India for as long as he's at the crease.

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#1 Shreyas Iyer - India

Shreyas Iyer in action during the first ODI vs Sri Lanka [Pic Credit: BCCI]

Shreyas Iyer has missed out on scoring opportunities in the first two games of the series, and it probably won't be long before he gets amongst the runs. After all, he was India's standout ODI batter in 2022 (724 runs at an average of 55.7).

One of the prime reasons why Iyer is likely to shine in Thiruvananthapuram is his ability to dominate spin bowling.

With the Greenfield Stadium surface more suited to spinners than pacers, Iyer will be the one to watch out for in the third ODI.