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After a show-stopping blitz in the first ODI from Prithvi Shaw, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, and captain Shikhar Dhawan, Team India regrouped and took on Sri Lanka in the second ODI on a hot and humid Tuesday afternoon at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Sri Lanka got steamrolled in the first match and everyone expected them to put up a better fight in the second ODI.
Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka won the toss for the second consecutive time and opted to bat first again. The improved intent in the batting approach of the Sri Lankan openers was evident as they rotated strike well, took on the Indian pacers, and scored 59 runs in the powerplay without losing any wickets. However, Yuzvendra Chahal came into the attack and struck on two consecutive deliveries to dismiss opener Minod Bhanuka for 36 and Bhanuka Rajapaksa for a golden duck. Even though India took wickets throughout the middle overs at regular intervals, Sri Lanka made their way to a good total of 275-9, thanks to contributions from Avishka Fernando (50 off 71), Minod Bhanuka (36 off 42), Dhananjaya de Silva (32 off 45), Charith Asalanka (65 off 68), and Chamika Karunaratne (44 off 33).
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The cricketing world witnessed a riveting chase in the second innings, where both teams were up one moment and down the next. India eventually won the match by three wickets in a thriller and sealed the series by taking an unassailable 2-0 lead.
Let's take a closer look at the three biggest positives for India from this second ODI:
#1 Bhuvneshwar Kumar back amongst the wickets
Bhuvneshwar Kumar's return to international cricket proved to be bittersweet as the new Indian ODI vice-captain went wicketless in his nine overs and conceded 63 runs at an economy of 7.00 in the first ODI. The Sri Lankan batsman went after him and Bhuvneshwar, who's usually excellent at the death, conceded 19 runs (including two sixes and a four) in the 50th over of the innings.
As the leader of the bowling attack, it was crucial that Bhuvneshwar kept a lid on the scoring and took wickets. The vice-captain did not disappoint in the second ODI as he picked up three important wickets - the dangerous opener Avishka Fernando (50), the rampaging Charith Asalanka (65), and Dushmantha Chameera (2). Bhuvneshwar's first two wickets came at a pivotal juncture in the game, when the Sri Lankan batsmen were well-set and looking to accelerate.
Although Bhuvneshwar looked rusty at the beginning after returning to international cricket after a long break, this performance will significantly boost his confidence for the upcoming matches. With 19 overs and three wickets under his belt, he will look to better his contributions and win more matches for his team.
#2 Indian middle order delivers under pressure
After a quick start for the Indians, with 26 runs from the first two overs in the chase, spinner Wanindu Hasaranga cleaned up Prithvi Shaw in the third over for just 13 runs. Kasun Rajitha soon dismissed Ishan Kishan too for just one run. After a brief rebuilding effort from Shikhar Dhawan and Manish Pandey, the skipper was adjudged lbw to a straight delivery from Hasaranga. Things were looking bleak for Team India, who had just lost their top three batsmen inside 12 overs.
At 65-3, Suryakumar Yadav joined Manish Pandey in the middle and stitched an excellent partnership to steady the ship. Pandey found his rhythm with a few boundaries and started getting into the groove. Both Pandey and Suryakumar played counter-attacking cricket to keep the Men in Blue afloat. However, the Indian ship found itself in rough waters once again after the unfortunate run-out of Manish Pandey, who looked in great touch during his 37 off 31 balls. Hardik Pandya was dismissed for a three-ball duck and India slipped further.
When India were reeling at 116-5, Krunal Pandya joined Suryakumar Yadav in the middle and kept the Sri Lankan bowlers at bay. The two Mumbai Indians boys kept the scoreboard ticking with regular singles and doubles and punished bad deliveries for boundaries. Suryakumar played a composed and calculated knock to bring up his maiden ODI half-century in just his second match. However, he fell soon after to the left-arm wrist spin of Lakshan Sandakan for 53 off 44 and it seemed to be all but over for India at 160-6 in 27 overs.
What followed was a splendid display of batting from Deepak Chahar, who stitched together partnerships with Krunal and Bhuvneshwar to take India to victory, bringing up his maiden ODI fifty in the process. The contributions of the middle order and lower-middle order batsmen Manish Pandey (37), Suryakumar Yadav (53), Krunal Pandya (35), and Deepak Chahar (69) were critical in India's win after another infamous Indian top order collapse.
#1 The valiant heroics of Deepak Chahar
When Deepak Chahar walked in to bat at the start of the 28th over, the chances of an Indian win seemed bleak at best. At 160-6, India still needed 116 runs in 23 overs. Chahar built a steady partnership with Krunal Pandya, but the runs weren't flowing easily. After Pandya was cleaned up in the 36th over with the scoreboard reading 193-6, it seemed to be the final nail in the coffin for India. Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav could not have scored 100-plus runs if either Bhuvneshwar or Chahar got out.
Keeping this in mind, Bhuvneshwar and Chahar decided to adopt a wary but calculated approach. They couldn't afford to lose another wicket, so they bided their time, blocked the good balls, and kept the scoreboard ticking with some excellent running between the wickets. The second ODI against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in 2017 was at the back of Bhuvneshwar's mind, as he had stitched a match-winning partnership with MS Dhoni, scoring 53* off 80 in the process. Bhuvneshwar and Chahar knew that they had enough balls left and that they had to take the game deep.
After getting properly set, Deepak Chahar started attacking the Sri Lankan bowlers and sent any loose delivery to the boundary. Despite getting cramps, Chahar carried on batting with his vice-captain and took calculated risks. Fortune favored the brave and a few edges from the Indian duo carried to the boundary, chipping in more runs off the target. With three runs needed off the last over of the innings, Deepak smashed the ball to mid-wicket for a four to bring up India's win and seal the series 2-0.
Deepak Chahar's innings was characterized by a sense of calmness, composure, and sensibility that is usually only seen in seasoned finishers. His two-wicket haul, along with his highest international score of 69* off 82 earned him the Man of the Match award in the second ODI. His match-winning innings has solidified his credentials as a bowling all-rounder and bodes well for India, who are in dire need of bowlers who can score useful runs down the order.
What's next for India?
India will now face Sri Lanka in the third and final ODI at the same venue on Friday, July 23rd, as they look to win the game and sweep the ODI series 3-0. Their 2-0 lead allows them to test their bench strength and provide opportunities to other promising players in the squad. It will be interesting to see India's playing XI for the 3rd ODI in Colombo.
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