IND vs SL 2023: 3 records that can be broken in the upcoming ODI seriesย
Following a thrilling 2-1 win in the T20I series, Team India are set to host Sri Lanka for a three-game ODI series, which starts on Tuesday (January 10). The opening ODI will take place at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.
With senior players including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami back in the mix, the hosts will look to get their team combination right and begin their ODI 2023 World Cup preparations on a winning note.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have been one of the improved sides, especially in white-ball cricket in recent times. While their bowling unit has some talented bowlers, their batting department consists of a slew of players of great caliber as well.
The forthcoming white-ball series also offers a chance for both teams to break a slew of records. Let's take a look at three of those records that can be broken in the three-match ODI series between India and Sri Lanka.
#3 Mohammed Shami can enter into India's all-time top ten ODI wicket-takers
India's most experienced bowler from the current team, Mohammed Shami, will be a key member for the Men in Blue.
With 152 wickets at an average of 25.7 and an economy of 5.6 across 82 ODIs, Shami is currently India's thirteenth-highest wicket-taker in the format.
The veteran seamer could well enter the list of India's top ten all-time wicket-takers in ODIs in the upcoming series. If Shami takes at least six more wickets, he will overtake Manoj Prabhakar to become India's tenth-most successful bowler in 50-over cricket.
#2 Rohit Sharma could become only the fourth batter ever to smash 30 ODI centuries
With 46 half-centuries and 29 hundreds across 228 ODI innings, Rohit Sharma is considered one of India's finest white-ball players.
Though the Indian skipper hasn't been in the best of form of late, he will be eyeing the upcoming series as an opportunity to regain his form.
If Hitman goes on to smash a century in any of the three ODIs against Sri Lanka, he will become only the fourth batter ever to reach 30 ODI centuries. So far, only Sachin Tendulkar (49), Virat Kohli (44) and Ricky Ponting (30) have scored 30 or more tons in one-dayers.
#1 Virat Kohli can become the fifth-highest run-getter in ODI history
Virat Kohli ended his ODI century-drought the last time he played a 50-over match. He scored a 91-ball 113 against Bangladesh in Chattogram on December 10, 2022.
The former Indian skipper has toppled countless records in 50-over cricket, and the three-match series against Sri Lanka will give him another chance to add one more milestone to his name.
Currently the sixth-highest run-scorer in ODIs with 12,471 runs in 256 innings, Kohli could surpass the former Sri Lankan great, Mahela Jayawardene on the list. If the Delhi-born batter adds 180 runs in the three upcoming games, he will eclipse Jayawardene's tally of 12650 runs.
While scoring 180 runs in three ODIs won't be easy, Kohli has an outstanding record against Sri Lanka, with 2220 runs in 46 innings at an average of 60).