2nd ODI: Sri Lanka Elect to Bat First Again, India Playing Unchanged XI

Shikhar Dhawan is playing an unchanged XI vs Sri Lanka in the second ODI.

The second ODI between India and Sri Lanka is now underway in Colombo.

(Photo: PTI)

The second ODI between India and Sri Lanka is now underway in Colombo with Dasun Shanaka once again winning the toss and electing to bat first.

India had won the series-opener on Sunday by seven wickets and a victory today would mean they seal the three-match series.

One change in the Lanka squad with Isuru Udana making way for Kasun Rajitha while India are playing an unchanged XI.

While Sanju Samson missed the series-opener due to an injury, a BCCI update on the day of the second ODI informed that he has now recovered and been declared 'fit and available for selection' by the board's medical team. However, coach Dravid and captain Shikhar Dhawan have chosen to continue with the winning team, electing to have Ishan Kishan keep instead.

Playing XIs

Sri Lanka: Avishka Fernando, Minod Bhanuka (wicketkeeper), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (captain), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Lakshan Sandakan, Kasun Rajitha.

India: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan (captain), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav.

Captain Shikhar Dhawan smiles on as Ishan Kishan celebrates his half century, on ODI debut.

While Shikhar Dhawan, who is leading the Indian team for the first time, was the star of the first match with an unbeaten 86 that took the team to victory, India had plenty of other positives from the match.

Prithvi Shaw, who is making a return to the Indian national side after he was axed following the Australian Test tour, provided India with a quick start, making 43 off 24 deliveries which tilted the balance in India's favour right from the start of the innings.

Apart from that, young wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan, making his ODI debut, scored 59 runs from 42 balls and kept India on road for an easy win.

The impressive performances of Indian youngsters apart, India also managed to get the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal up and running.

The two have not played for a long time and doubts began to emerge on their effectiveness in the absence of former India captain and wicketkeeper MS Dhoni.

Both of them took two wickets each -- Yadav taking two for 48 and Chahal two for 52. Yadav was responsible for picking two quick wickets at a time when the Sri Lankans looked set to put up a big total, at 85 for 1 in 16 overs.