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Kolkata, Jan 11: Upbeat with their emphatic win in the opening game, Team India will be aiming to take an unassailable 2-0 lead over Sri Lanka in the second ODI on Thursday (January 12).
The second game of the three-match series will be played at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The performance of India's top three batters in Guwahati must have given the side a lot of confidence.
Virat Kohli - who ended his century drought for nearly three years with his maiden T20I ton against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup last year - has regained his menacing form in white-ball format.
Top-three Indian batters start with a bang in World Cup year
Kohli slammed his 73rd International ton in Guwahati as it was his second consecutive ODI century. It was Kohli's sublime knock which helped India post a mammoth 373 for seven on the board and helped India win the game by 67 runs.
The 34-year-old batter looked in supreme control in Guwahati and made Sri Lankans pay the price for two dropped chances. It was like the Kohli of the old as he looked uncluttered and no Sri Lankan bowler troubled him.
Returning from an injury, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma too allayed any concerns whatsoever of being short on match fitness as he took on the Lankan attack in a 67-ball 83 to set the foundation for a mammoth total. He seemed to be in his zone before coming to his favourite venue Eden Gardens.
The last time the two teams met in an ODI here, Rohit struck that world record of 264 eight years back. Now, the Mumbaikar is back to his favourite venue as the Indian skipper and he would be definitely keen to get to a big score.
Young opener Shubman Gill also seems to be in splendid form in the 50-overs format and the talented right-handed batter - who scored 70 in Guwahati - will be aiming to produce something special in Kolkata, where he has played a lot of cricket.
Indian top-order looks sorted and would once again look to dominate the pedestrian Lankan attack. Gill getting a preference over Ishan Kishan - who slammed a double hundred in the last ODI which India played in Bangladesh - silenced the debate with his aesthetic knock of 70 off just 60 balls.
Strong India middle-order
With Shreyas Iyer also coming back from a dream ODI run last year and occupying the no 4 spot with his flair for tackling spin and rotating strike in the middle overs, the only spot that may open up in the batting order is that of KL Rahul.
Rahul, who also doubles up as a wicketkeeper, has been in a wretched form of late but may get a long run, especially in the series to prolong Kishan's wait. But if the team management decides to strengthen the wicketkeeping department then Kishan might get the go-ahead.
All-rounders Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel are equally capable of tormenting the opposition with their ability to hit big sixes and they are in good form as well.
India bowling attack vs Sri Lanka in 2nd ODI
In the bowling department, Mohammed Siraj continued to raise his stakes and looked terrific with the new ball in an opening spell of 5-1-15-2, laced with 25 dot balls on a flat deck at Barsapara Stadium.
On Eden's fast deck, Siraj will relish the challenge of bowling with old warhorse Mohammed Shami as it remains to be seen whether the team think tank opts for an extra seamer.
Umran Malik - who picked up a three-for in Guwahati - played the role of the enforcer in the middle overs till Dasun Shanaka took on him en route to a fine century. The young pace gun is a work in progress and would look to improve with every match. His express pace has been a subject of discussion and he even became the fastest Indian bowler after clocking 156 kmph in Guwahati.
Probable India Playing XI in 2nd ODI vs Sri Lanka
With plenty of positives from the opening game, skipper Rohit Sharma might be inclined to go with the unchanged side. However, conditions in Kolkata could force the team management to tweak the playing eleven.
Let us take a look at the Probable India XI for the 2nd ODI against Sri Lanka.
1. Shubman Gill
2. Rohit Sharma (Captain)
3. Virat Kohli
4. Shreyas Iyer
5. KL Rahul (wk)/Ishan Kishan
6. Hardik Pandya
7. Axar Patel
8. Washington Sundar
9. Mohammed Shami
10. Mohammed Siraj
11. Umran Malik
