Series in the bag, confident India to test bench strength

while chasing targets in the last two games in Pallekele. So, it remains to be seen to what extent the team management will go for changes.

Ajinkya Rahane and Manish Pandey, who last played an ODI in October and was sidelined for the ICC Champions Trophy in June due to injury, are waiting in the wings. Among bowlers, chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav could get a chance.

Kohli and Ravi Shastri, however, could be reluctant to make too many changes as India next take on Australia in an ODI and T20 series starting on September 17, once they get home.

MALINGA TO LEAD

The turbulence in Sri Lankan cricket has only intensified with the selection committee headed by former skipper Sanath Jayasuriya deciding to resign at the end of the current Indian series.

The selectors as well as Sri Lanka Cricket have come under tremendous pressure from fans and critics, led by 1996 World Cup-winning skipper, Arjuna Ranatunga, blaming the administration for the team’s plight.

Sri Lanka will have a third skipper in four matches. Lasith Malinga will lead on Thursday after stand-in skipper Chamara Kapugedera was ruled out due to a back problem.

Malinga requires one wicket to become the fourth Sri Lanka bowler to complete 300 wickets in One-day Internationals.

Kapugedera reportedly caused a controversy in the Sri Lankan dressing room after choosing to bat on winning the toss in the third ODI. The team management had apparently decided Sri Lanka will bowl, to allow the three-pronged pace attack to exploit early seaming conditions.

In the end, Sri Lanka managed only 217 and India, despite being reduced to 61 for four in the 16th over, eased to a six-wicket victory with crowd hurling bottles.

Kapugedera is the latest in a string of injuries that have plagued the team. Dinesh Chandimal is out with a fractured thumb while Dhanushka Gunathilaka is in a race to achieve fitness after missing out on Sunday, hurting his shoulder on the field. The teams are pretty even at one of Sri Lanka’s premier cricket venues. Out of 31 matches at the Premadasa Stadium, Sri Lanka hold a 15-13 edge with three games ending in no result.

AJINKYA RAHANE AND MANISH PANDEY ARE WAITING IN THE WINGS, AMONG BOWLERS KULDEEP YADAV COULD GET A CHANCE.