2 mistakes and 1 masterstroke by India in the 1st ODI against Sri Lanka

Team India coasted to a comfortable 67-run win in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Guwahati on Tuesday, January 10.

Virat Kohli notched up his 73rd international century after Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill set an excellent platform at the top of the order. Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka struck a fighting ton, but the visitors fell well short after losing the plot in the first half of the chase.

Here are two mistakes and one masterstroke by India in the first ODI against Sri Lanka.

#3 Mistake - India's spinners lacked control in the middle overs

Excellent work in the field by @ShreyasIyer15! 👌 👌

@yuzi_chahal strikes as he gets Wanindu Hasaranga out 👍 👍

Follow the match 👉 bit.ly/INDvSL-2023-1S…

#TeamIndia | #INDvSL https://t.co/PENKbQYSNL

India's spinners haven't performed very well in ODI cricket over the last three years. Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav have been the three main culprits, but their replacements haven't been able to nail down their spots either.

In the opening game of the series, India went with a two-pronged spin attack in Chahal and Axar Patel. Between them, the duo scalped only one wicket while conceding 58 runs apiece. While the leg-spinner was guilty of pitching it too full on several occasions, Axar was comfortably negotiated by the Sri Lankan batters.

India's bowling plans and field placements seemed rather amateur in the middle overs, where the spinners exerted no control.

#2 Masterstroke - Top-order intent and team selection

Innings Break!

#TeamIndia packed a punch 👊 with the bat!
1⃣1⃣3⃣ for @imVkohli
8⃣3⃣ for Captain @ImRo45
7⃣0⃣ for @ShubmanGill

Scorecard 👉 bit.ly/INDvSL-2023-1S…
#iNDvSL https://t.co/vGpw3qb0QE

India rightly picked Shubman Gill over Ishan Kishan despite the latter's double hundred, and the young right-hander continued his stellar run in ODI cricket. He notched up 70 off 60 balls, a knock studded with 11 fours.

Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, enjoyed excellent batting conditions on his return from injury. The Indian skipper made 83 off 67, striking nine fours and three sixes in a confident knock that set the tone for the first innings.

After India lost their first wicket in the 20th over, Virat Kohli strode in and rode his luck en route to his 45th ODI ton and second on the trot. The No. 3 batter had a strike rate of 129.88, ensuring the side didn't lose momentum after losing Gill and Rohit in quick succession.

The intent India showed in the opening powerplay and the way the top order got stuck in was reminiscent of the ODI side from a few years ago. If the Men in Blue can continue to bat this way in the lead-up to the World Cup, they will be in pole position to reach the knockout stages comfortably.

#1 Mistake - India let the game slip towards the end

That's that from the 1st ODI.

#TeamIndia win by 67 runs and take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Scorecard - bit.ly/INDvSL-2023-1S… #INDvSL
@mastercardindia https://t.co/KVRiLOf2uf

With Sri Lanka at 206/8 in the 38th over, India could've quickly wrapped things up. No. 11 Dilshan Madushanka injured his shoulder in the first innings and might not have come out to bat, but as it turned out, he didn't need to.

Shanaka and Kasun Rajitha put on a 100-run partnership for the ninth wicket off just 12.1 overs as India completely lost the plot. With Rajitha taking strike towards the end of the over and facing just 19 balls in the partnership, the hosts let the Sri Lankan skipper find the boundary on a regular basis and also turn the strike over to his partner when needed.

India should've gone for the jugular much earlier as Shanaka ended up making an unbeaten 108 off 88 balls, with the ton significantly reducing the visitors' margin of defeat.