Chance for Sri Lanka to end 2017 on a high

With the series done and dusted, India will be keen to test its bench strength when it faces Sri Lanka for one last time in the third Twenty20 International at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday (December 24).

It has been an extremely successful 2017 for India, which has churned out dominant performances one after the other, and it will be eyeing yet another whitewash before embarking on what promises to be a gruelling tour to South Africa early next year.

For Sri Lanka, however, this has been a forgettable year. After coming to India, it did better than it had when India had gone across earlier in the year, but still lost the Test and One-Day International series. It would have hoped for better results against a weakened Indian unit in the T20Is, but has ended up going down comprehensively both times.

In the first T20I in Cuttack, it folded against the wrist-spin of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav to go down by a record margin of 93 runs, while in the second game in Indore, it was blown away by 88 runs courtesy a Rohit Sharma blitz.

What would satisfy the Indians the most is that the youngsters have stood up and taken responsibility in the absence of some of the senior players. Chahal and Kuldeep have been outstanding, combining for 13 wickets in the two T20Is. Shreyas Iyer and Manish Pandey have supported Rohit, KL Rahul and MS Dhoni with good performances with the bat, while Jaydev Unadkat, on return to the Indian side after more than a year, has been impressive too.

Rahul, in particular, after being in and out of the Indian sides recently, has come back well. He hit a 48-ball 61 in the first T20I and followed it up with a belligerent 49-ball 89 in the second to make a strong case with a string of away tours lined up for India in 2018.

Another positive has been Dhoni’s form. With scrutiny – at least in some quarters – over his place in the shortest format the game, the former skipper has vindicated the faith shown by the team management, providing late flourishes in both outings.

The pace-bowling unit has been consistent as well with Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya not allowing the Sri Lankan batsmen to get away at the start. With both players named in the squad for the three-Test series in South Africa, the team management might be tempted to bring in Mohammed Siraj and Basil Thampi for the final game, as well as Washington Sundar and Deepak Hooda, if possible.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, has been dealt another blow with Angelo Mathews, its most economical bowler in both T20Is, ruled out of the final match with a hamstring tear. In his absence, Upul Tharanga and Thisara Perera will again have to lead the team.

Tharanga, the brightest light in an otherwise up-and-down batting unit, has shown some steel throughout. In the second T20I, he and Kusal Perera forged a 109-run partnership in just 53 deliveries to keep their side in the hunt. Perera, en route a 37-ball 77, was the only Sri Lankan batsman to take on Kuldeep and Chahal and his team would be sincerely hoping for much of the same in the final match as well.

The biggest cause of concern for Sri Lanka has been its bowling. Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Pradeep have all gone at more than nine runs an over in both T20Is. Even Akila Dananjaya, who had the Indian batsman in all sorts of trouble earlier this year, has looked out of sorts.

The Wankhede, in general, is a paradise for batsman with scores of 170-plus easily scored and chased down in the past. The Sri Lankans will hope that India’s record at the venue – two losses in two T20Is, against England in 2012 and Windies in 2016 – continues and they can leave for home on a high.

Teams (from)

India: Rohit Sharma (capt), KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Basil Thampi, Jaydev Unadkat.

Sri Lanka: Thisara Perera (capt), Upul Tharanga, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Perera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Asela Gunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dasun Shanaka, Chaturanga de Silva, Sachith Pathirana, Akila Dananjaya, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Pradeep, Vishwa Fernando.