IND vs SL 2024: 3 players who flopped and 2 who starred in the India vs Sri Lanka 3rd ODI match ft. Rishabh Pant & Mohammed Siraj
Needing to win to level the series against Sri Lanka, Team India crumbled sensationally as they lost the third and final ODI by 110 runs. A delighted crowd at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo watched on as a batting collapse drilled the final nail in the coffin.
To be fair to the Men in Blue, batting under the lights after the pitch had worn down was a completely different proposition. But while a couple of players put their hand up, most of the side turned in dreadful displays as they suffered their first ODI series defeat to Sri Lanka in nearly three decades.
On that note, here are three players who flopped and two who starred in the third ODI between India and Sri Lanka.
#5 Flop - Mohammed Siraj
Mohammed Siraj turned in a miserable display in Colombo as he sprayed the ball all over the place, with his spell almost single-handedly putting the game beyond India's reach. He leaked 78 runs in the nine overs he bowled, which made for terrible viewing.
Siraj dished out plenty of freebies on the pads in the powerplay to be picked off for boundaries. When he returned in the middle overs, he lost his wits completely and allowed Avishka Fernando to race away into the 90s. Even at the death, the fast bowler dished out full tosses and bad balls.
#4 Star - Washington Sundar
Washington Sundar's start to life in the Gautam Gambhir era has been hugely promising. In the third ODI against Sri Lanka, he stood out with both bat and ball despite being restricted to a bit-part role.
Sundar bowled only eight overs, which were economical, and produced a wicket. He waged a plucky battle lower down the order, with his gutsy 30 reducing the margin of defeat slightly.
#3 Flop - Shubman Gill
India's vice-captain ended the series on a disappointing note as he danced down the track and played a swishy pull to a delivery that hit the stumps halfway up. Shubman Gill really shouldn't have been attempting that shot on a pitch that had started playing tricks.
Gill's 14-ball stay at the crease featured no boundaries and yielded just six runs. He was completely overshadowed by Rohit Sharma at the other end throughout the series and couldn't even play a simple supporting role to any effect.
#2 Star - Riyan Parag
Making his ODI debut to give India some additional leeway in the spin department, Riyan Parag turned up in a big way. The youngster picked up three wickets to curtail Sri Lanka's charge and outperform all three of the frontline spinners in the side.
Parag's conventional off-breaks were effective as always, and he brought out a few of his variations as well. He was in charge of bowling at a tough stage in the first innings and passed his first test at the ODI level.
Parag made just 15 runs before bizarrely leaving one, but he did enough with the ball for his bow to be termed a success.
#1 Flop - Rishabh Pant
Replacing KL Rahul in the XI, Rishabh Pant proved to be a downgrade on both fronts. Not only did he bungle a straightforward stumping out of sheer cockiness, but he also dismissed himself cheaply in mind-numbingly silly fashion.
Pant danced down the track - a track that was turning square by then - off Maheesh Theekshana and missed the ball completely. It was as low-percentage as an option could be, and it came at a time when India were struggling to stitch a partnership together.
Pant needs to do better if he is to justify being part of India's white-ball setup.