Skipper Rohit Sharma admits India failed as a team after first series defeat in Sri Lanka since 1997; lose by 110 runs in third and final ODI at Colombo
India captain Rohit Sharma (right) with his teammates during the 3rd ODI v Sri Lanka on Wednesday. Pic/AFP
If Rohit Sharma had harsh words to say in the aftermath of Wednesday’s 110-run drubbing at the R Premadasa Stadium, it was entirely within the confines of the changing room. In public, he conceded that his team had played poor cricket but that the loss of one series was not the ‘end of the world’.
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Rohit was an honourable exception during a One-Day International series where India’s famed batting line-up was blown away by Sri Lanka’s plethora of top-class spinners. Dunith Wellalage was the star on Wednesday with a five-wicket haul, consigning India to their first series loss in this country since 1997.
“You have to give credit where it’s due. They played the conditions better than us, batted and bowled better than us,” a gracious Rohit observed. “As a team, we accept we weren’t good enough and there is no shame in accepting that. We’ve played some good and fascinating cricket in the last few years but a series like this can happen. A lot of credit to Sri Lanka, they were in the fight throughout and wanted to make a difference.”
Acknowledging that India had fallen well short in their battles against the turning ball, the skipper added, “Everyone needs to understand what their plan is and how they are going to play.
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Slow surfaces, a challenge
“If the pitch suits your plan, good enough, take them on. If it isn’t, then what are the options. Come down the track, push for singles—all the basics of batsmanship on slow surfaces. We have grown up on slow pitches. Pitches have turned and been slow. It is about having one’s own plan and believing that plan is good enough to come out on top on pitches like that.
“I don’t want to be critical because whenever I have asked them to do different things, they have done that. Things like this happen. It won’t be ideal to dive deep into what has happened. It’s important to stay calm and give them confidence, give them the understanding that this is what is required. Hopefully, if we come up against conditions like this, they have better plans against spinners.”
Charith Asalanka, Rohit’s counterpart, was understandably over the moon. “As a captain, I’m happy that we were able to defeat a team as good as this,” said Asalanka, in his first series as the ODI skipper.
“This is a process. We have some talented players. If we manage them and look after them, we can go far.
Big relief for Asalanka
“After Pallekele [where SL lost the T20Is 0-3], I was very dejected,” Asalanka went on. “As a captain and a player, I’m desperate to win for the country. Today, I’m so happy we were able to win the series. Having lost the T20s, we defeated an even stronger team in the ODIs. I’m happy with the way everyone in the team played.”
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