IND vs SL 2022-23, 2nd ODI: Kuldeep Yadav replaces Yuzvendra Chahal; Sri Lanka opts to bat
IND vs SL 2022-23: India and Sri Lanka meet in the second Kolkata ODI on Thursday. While the visitors have opted to bat first, both teams have made changes, whereas the hosts have brought in Kuldeep Yadav for an injured Yuzvendra Chahal.
FollowMoving on from the brilliance of the opening One-Day International (ODI) in Guwahati, which India won by 67 runs, it is taking on Sri Lanka again in the second ODI at the iconic Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on Thursday. The hosts are eager to get the job done here, while the visitors are desperate to bounce back and set up a thrilling decider in Thiruvananthpuram on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Lions have won the coin toss and opted to bat, while both sides have made some changes, including the Men in Blue, who have brought in chinaman spinner Kuldeep Yadav for injured leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal.
Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka conveyed during the toss, "We'll bat first. Terrific wicket to bat first; also looking at the venue stats. Important to score, be relaxed and play our natural game. Two changes - Madushanka and Pathum Nissanka are out with shoulder injuries, Nuwanidu Fernando gets a debut, and Lahiru Kumara is back."
In the meantime, Indian captain Rohit Sharma voiced, "I was in two minds. We wanted to bat first because of how we played last time, but looking at this ground, I wanted to field. Overall, improvements are as a team, nothing in particular. What we've done in the past is in the past. We need to look ahead and keep doing better."
"I love playing here. The crowd is also energetic, which always motivates me. But, it is in the past. I need to start fresh. One enforced change for us, Chahal in the last game put in a dive and hasn't recovered well today, so Kuldeep Yadav comes in," concluded Rohit.
Playing XI
IND: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Umran Malik and Mohammed Siraj.
SL: Kusal Mendis (wk), Avishka Fernando, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Nuwanidu Fernando, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Lahiru Kumara and Kasun Rajitha.
