5 reasons why Ajinkya Rahane should play the ODI series against Sri Lanka

#4 Match winning performances at the series venues

Rahane has been a match-winner at the series venues

Rahane is one of the few batsmen who have played international cricket at all the venues for the Sri Lanka series.

At Dharamsala (venue for the first ODI against Sri Lanka) in 2014, Rahane had formed two 70-run partnerships with Shikhar Dhawan and Kohli against the West Indies, which helped India win the series 2-1. He also provided a strong start to the successful chase at the same venue against New Zealand last year, a match that India won with more than 16 overs to spare.

He led the successful Indian chase against England in Mohali (venue for the second ODI) in 2011 and became man-of-the-match by scoring a solid 91 at the top of the order, which helped India seal the series. He also formed two important partnerships in the match, 79 for the opening wicket with Parthiv Patel and 111 for the second wicket with Gautam Gambhir.

At Visakhapatnam (the venue for the third ODI) however, Rahane hasn't had the best of performances yet. In the one ODI he played at the venue against New Zealand last year, he was dismissed for a score of 20.