Vizag ODI: India eye series win in decider

Vizag [India], December 17 (ANI): With an impeccable top-order, the Men in Blue will seek to clinch another series win against the Lankan Lions, here in the third and series decider One Day International (ODI) on Sunday.

Stand-in-skipper Rohit Sharma is boosted with confidence after his unbeaten double ton in the last ODI, and will look to thrash the Sri Lankan bowlers who will play under a little pressure to limit the Indian side.

Meanwhile, Shikhar Dhawan, who has hit a half-century, and the young Shreyas Iyer, who has announced himself on the big stage with a knock of 88 in the Mohali ODI, would also be expected to supply the runs on the crucial day.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni will aim to reach his 10,000 ODI mark with a century on the day.

Looking into the past, Vizag has been a good venue for the Indian side, as they have won five out of the last six ODIs here.

Vizag is similar to Sri Lanka when it comes to weather and this might lessen the trouble for the visitors to take the series in their favour.

However, India have a brilliant home record as they have not lost a series here since the defeat to South Africa in October 2015, whereas Sri Lanka have never won a bilateral series in India, having lost eight and drawn one.

India are currently levelled at 1-1 with Sri Lanka after the hosts won the second Mohali ODI where stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma thrashed the visitors with his unbeaten 208.

The hosts conceived a seven-wicket defeat in the first Dharamshala ODI.

India (Probable): Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, Manish Pandey, M S Dhoni (WK), Hardik Pandya, M S Washington Sundar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Ajinkya Rahane, Axar Patel, Siddarth Kaul.

Sri Lanka (Probable): Thisara Perera (c), Upul Tharanga, Danusha Gunathilaka, Lahiru Thirimanne, Asela Gunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Niroshan Dickwella (WK), Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Matthews, Sachith Pathirana, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Akila Dhanajaya, Chathuranga de Silva, Dushmantha Chameera, Kusal Perera. (ANI)