"Sri Lanka's bowling outing was very very disappointing" - Gautam Gambhir after India score 373 in Guwahati

Former Indian opening batter Gautam Gambhir has lambasted Sri Lankan bowlers for their lackluster display in the ongoing first ODI in Guwahati. The former player has called for more consistency from the Lankan bowlers, given how easy it was for the Indian batters.

The Men in Blue looked solid from the outset following Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka inserting them after winning the toss. Fifties from Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill and their 143-run stand set the tone for a steep total. Virat Kohli, who came in at No. 3, scored an 80-ball ton, while Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul contributed valuable cameos.

Speaking on Star Sports after India's massive total of 373, Gambhir described Sri Lanka's bowling as ordinary, as they failed to challenge the hosts' formidable batting line-up:

"It was pretty ordinary bowling. The top three of the Indian batting line-up have got lots and lots of runs behind them. Rohit and Kohli obviously, Shubman also has the ability to get so many runs in international cricket. And how easy it was for Rohit and Shubman to get runs today. That was a surprise for me. You have to be consistent, and Sri Lanka's bowling outing was very very disappointing for me."

Kohli, who scored his 45th ODI hundred, got two lives, as Dasun Shanaka and Kusal Mendis dropped simple catches off Kasun Rajitha. While Rajitha had the last laugh over the star Indian batter, Kohli had scored 113 off 87 deliveries by then.

---

"I am glad we have the extra 30 runs because there will be dew" - India's Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli (Image Credits: Twitter)

After the first innings, Kohli opened up on his knock and admitted that luck played a significant part and cashed in on that. The 33-year-old also credited the openers for allowing himself to take his time instead of rushing through his innings, saying:

"Luck plays a big part. You need to thank god on such evenings. I am grateful for it, and bow my head and accept it. These evenings are important, pretty aware of that. Thankful that I made the most of that luck presented to me.

I have had a bit of a break and a couple of practice sessions coming into this game, so I was fresh after that Bangladesh tour. I was excited for the home season to start. The openers allowed me to get into the game, and I tried to keep my strike rate in check."

Sri Lanka are heading towards a comprehensive defeat, tottering at 188-7 after 33 overs, with Umran Malik picking up three wickets.