NEW DELHI: India captain visibly disappointed Rohit Sharma He acknowledged that his team should have scored just one run on its final 14 pitches.
However, he admitted that the team had struggled to maintain a consistent scoring rate throughout the innings, despite achieving a relatively modest target of 231 runs in the opening ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Friday.
India got off to a promising start with Rohit leading the way with a quick-fire 58 runs off 47 balls, helping the team pile up 71 runs in the first 10 overs.
But the middle class failed to capitalize on its strong base. Virat Kohli (24), Shreyas Iyer (23), and KL Rahul (31) They all started as starters but found it difficult to score freely against the all-out Sri Lankan spin attack.
Ultimately, India fell far short of their target, being bowled out for 230 runs in 47.5 overs.
“We could have scored runs but to get them, we have to bat well. We batted well in patches but there was no consistent momentum. We started well but we knew that when the spin came, the game would start to take off. We lost a few wickets and fell behind,” captain Rohit was quoted as saying by PTI at the post-match awards ceremony.
India recovered with a 57-run partnership between Rahul and Axar Patel, with Patel scoring 33. But their quick dismissal changed the momentum of the match once again.
“We came back through the stands between Axar and Rahul. Disappointed not to get that one run off 14 balls, but I won’t read too much into it,” the captain said, not wanting to be too critical.
He believed that the wickets of both teams were equal.
“It was wet at first but as the joints wore down the ball got softer. It wasn’t a game where you could hit (direct) shots. You had to work on yourself and dig in. I’m proud of the way we fought but it was important to keep the tension,” the captain said.
Sri Lanka’s young captain Charith Asalankar, who took the last two wickets in succession, believed the match should have been won.
“I thought we should have done a better job of limiting it to under 230. It changed a lot in the afternoon. It was easier to hit under the lights.”
However, he admitted that the team had struggled to maintain a consistent scoring rate throughout the innings, despite achieving a relatively modest target of 231 runs in the opening ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Friday.
India got off to a promising start with Rohit leading the way with a quick-fire 58 runs off 47 balls, helping the team pile up 71 runs in the first 10 overs.
But the middle class failed to capitalize on its strong base. Virat Kohli (24), Shreyas Iyer (23), and KL Rahul (31) They all started as starters but found it difficult to score freely against the all-out Sri Lankan spin attack.
Ultimately, India fell far short of their target, being bowled out for 230 runs in 47.5 overs.
“We could have scored runs but to get them, we have to bat well. We batted well in patches but there was no consistent momentum. We started well but we knew that when the spin came, the game would start to take off. We lost a few wickets and fell behind,” captain Rohit was quoted as saying by PTI at the post-match awards ceremony.
India recovered with a 57-run partnership between Rahul and Axar Patel, with Patel scoring 33. But their quick dismissal changed the momentum of the match once again.
“We came back through the stands between Axar and Rahul. Disappointed not to get that one run off 14 balls, but I won’t read too much into it,” the captain said, not wanting to be too critical.
He believed that the wickets of both teams were equal.
“It was wet at first but as the joints wore down the ball got softer. It wasn’t a game where you could hit (direct) shots. You had to work on yourself and dig in. I’m proud of the way we fought but it was important to keep the tension,” the captain said.
Sri Lanka’s young captain Charith Asalankar, who took the last two wickets in succession, believed the match should have been won.
“I thought we should have done a better job of limiting it to under 230. It changed a lot in the afternoon. It was easier to hit under the lights.”