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Team India are in Sri Lanka for a short limited-overs series, during which they will play three ODIs and an equal number of T20Is. The squad is being led by veteran left-hander Shikhar Dhawan, while Rahul Dravid will mentor the team with regular head coach Ravi Shastri busy with duties in England.
In the absence of big names, several new faces like Devdutt Padikkal, Chetan Sakariya and Nitish Rana among others could get a chance to showcase their talents. The limited-overs matches against Sri Lanka will be useful for Team India with the T20 World Cup coming up, which will be played in the UAE in October-November.
If we look at the head-to-head ODI numbers between Team India and Sri Lanka, 159 games have been played between the teams, with India winning 91 and Sri Lanka 56. One game ended in a tie, while 11 matches did not produce a result. Team India have found the going tougher in Sri Lanka though, winning 28 matches and losing 27.
Famous Team India bowling spells in Sri Lanka
With Team India getting ready to take on Sri Lanka in limited-overs contests, we look back at some memorable ODI bowling performances by Indians against the Lankans in Sri Lanka.
#5 Ashish Nehra (6/59) - August 2005 in Colombo, Indian Oil Cup final
Team India left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra’s six-for went in vain as Sri Lanka lifted the Indian Oil Cup in August 2005 with an impressive 18-run triumph in Colombo. Nehra’s effort was overshadowed by a good all-round performance by the hosts.
Sri Lanka batted first after winning the toss in the final. Nehra struck early for Team India, cleaning up opposition skipper Marvan Atapattu for 11. He then trapped Dilhara Lokuhettige lbw for 9 and had the dangerous Kumar Sangakkara caught for 8.
At 67 for 3, Team India were on top. However, Lankan legends Sanath Jayasuriya (67) and Mahela Jayawardene (83) led the fightback for the hosts, while Russel Arnold also chipped in with a crucial 64. Nehra returned to dismiss both Jayawardene and Arnold and got past the tail as well, but Sri Lanka managed to post a competitive 281 for 9.
Team India got off to a good start in response and were sitting pretty at 102 for 1 at one stage. However, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan and Upul Chandana claimed two wickets each to unsettle the Indian batting, which eventually managed only 263 for 9. Indian skipper Rahul Dravid top-scored with 69 but like Nehra’s efforts earlier in the day, his knock too went in vain.
#4 Irfan Pathan (5/61) - August 2012 in Pallekele
Team India pacer Irfan Pathan ran through the Sri Lankan batting line-up with figures of 5 for 61 as the visitors defended 295 against the Lankans in Pallekele in August 2012. India posted 294 for 7 batting first, after which Pathan took over and bowled India to victory in the fifth ODI of the five-match series.
The left-arm pacer got the big breakthrough for Team India early, having Tillakaratne Dilshan (0) caught at third man with a wide, good length delivery. Upul Tharanga was looking good on 31 before he loosely drove a pitched up delivery from Pathan to extra cover.
After Lahiru Thirimanne was run out for 77, the lower-order also fought hard for Sri Lanka to keep them in the hunt. But Pathan returned to scuttle Lanka’s challenge. He had the dangerous Thisara Perera (18) caught at deep point and ended Sri Lanka’s hopes by having Jeevan Mendis caught behind for 72 as the batsman attempted a cut.
Pathan completed a well-deserved five-for with the final ball of his spell when he castled Sachithra Senanayake for 7. Ironically, this turned out to be his last ODI for Team India.
Sri Lanka were bowled out for 274 as Team India claimed the five-match series 4-1. Before Pathan’s heroics, Gautam Gambhir’s 88 and half-centuries from Manoj Tiwary (65) and MS Dhoni (58) helped India post an impressive total.
#3 Bhuvneshwar Kumar (5/42) - September 2017 in Colombo
Team India medium-pacer Bhuveshwar Kumar came up with a solid bowling effort as the visitors trounced Sri Lanka by six wickets in Colombo in the fifth ODI of the five-match series in September 2017. With the victory, Team India completed a 5-0 clean sweep of the Lankans.
The hosts elected to bat first after winning the toss, but could not stand up to Kumar’s brilliance. The pace bowler struck early for Team India, foxing Niroshan Dickwella (2) with a knuckle ball and getting him to present a simple return catch. Dilshan Munaweera (4) was then brilliantly caught by Virat Kohli, running back from mid-off, off another knuckle ball.
Lahiru Thirimanne helped the Lankans recover with a well-compiled half-century. Kumar, however, ended his resistance on 67, with a length ball that nipped back in and hit the stumps off the inside edge. Kumar completed the formalities by dismissing Milinda Siriwardana (18) and Lasith Malinga (2) to claim his first five-wicket haul in ODIs.
Kumar’s wonderful effort restricted Sri Lanka to 238. Team India chased down the target with ease. Skipper Virat Kohli was unbeaten on 110, while Kedar Jadhav contributed 63, as the visitors got home by six wickets in 46.3 overs.
#2 Jasprit Bumrah (5/27) - August 2017 in Pallekele
Team India pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah ran through the Sri Lankan batting line-up with figures of 5 for 27 in the third ODI of the five-match series in August 2017. A six-wicket win in Pallekele put India 3-0 up in the five-match series.
Sri Lanka batted first after winning the toss, but never got any momentum into their innings. Bumrah trapped Niroshan Dickwella for 13 with a deadly yorker to get Team India off to an impressive start. He soon had Kusal Mendis (1) caught in the slips with one that jagged away.
Lahiru Thirimanne led Sri Lanka’s fightback with a solid half-century. Bumrah returned to end his resistance on 80 with a slower ball that the batsman could only chip to midwicket. The fast bowler proved too good for Akila Dananjaya (2) and Milinda Siriwardana (29), cleaning up both to complete a maiden five-for.
Bumrah’s spell kept Sri Lanka to 217 for 9 in their 50 overs. Team India eased home to victory by six wickets as Rohit Sharma struck an unbeaten 124 off 145 balls. Skipper Dhon chipped in with an unbeaten 67 as India recovered from 61 for 4 to get home in 45.1 overs.
#1 Harbhajan Singh (5/56) - September 2009, Compaq Cup final in Colombo
After Sachin Tendulkar’s 138 lifted Team India to 319 for 5 in the Compaq Cup final in Colombo in September 2009, Harbhajan Singh spun a web around the Sri Lankan batsmen to restrict them to 273. The off-spinner's five-for saw the hosts being rolled over in 46.4 overs.
Sri Lanka got off to a rollicking start in the chase and it was Harbhajan who broke the opening partnership, cleaning up Tillakaratne Dilshan for 42 off 29 with one that skidded on. In his very next over, the off-spinner sent back Mahela Jayawardene (1), foxing the Lankan legend with a doosra and having him caught and bowled.
The hosts made a comeback via the lower-order before Harbhajan’s returned to put Team India on top again. He ended Thilina Kandamby’s valiant effort, cleaning him up for 66. Harbhajan then sent back Lasith Malinga (0) and Ajantha Mendis (7) in quick succession as Sri Lanka’s innings folded up in the 47th over.
It was Tendulkar who set up the total for Harbhajan to put Sri Lanka under pressure. The Indian batting legend's 138 came off 133 balls and he was well-supported by MS Dhoni (56) and Yuvraj Singh (56 not out) as Team India dominated, first with the bat and then with the ball, courtesy of Harbhajan.
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