India Vs Sri Lanka: Virat Kohli hints at testing bench strength in remaining two ODIs

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Pallekele, Aug 28: As Team India clinched the 5-match one-day series against Sri Lanka with the third successive win in the tournament, skipper Virat Kohli has hinted that the side would test its bench strength in the upcoming two dead rubbers.

After India defeated the hosts by 6 wickets in the third ODI at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy, Kohli said the team can now afford to make changes in the playing eleven for the remaining two games.

"We have a squad of 15, we'll look to give some of the other guys a go. Having won the series already, we can afford to give those guys a go," said Kohli at the post-match presentation after India beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in third ODI.

The Men In Blue came out with the same side for all three ODIs but now reserve players like Manish Pandey and Kuldeep Yadav can get a game. With the pressure of winning the series off their shoulders, the team can now expect Kedar Jadhav and KL Rahul - who had forgettable outings in the last two games - to come and bat freely in the remainder of the series.

Testing bench strength also becomes crucial at this stage because Team India have a big home season lined up in which the Men in Blue will play 21 ODIs and T20Is before December.

Chasing a modest target of 218, India felt the heat for the second game in a row after being 61 for four in the 16th over. Kohli, however, insisted that chasing smaller targets are not a problem for his side.

"Small targets are always tricky. If it happens to you two or three times, I don't think it's an issue. Here the wicket was a bit more challenging. "The last game we had a collapse. The other batsmen really applied themselves. We have to be a bit patient with the younger players," said Kohli.

The 28-year-old skipper praised pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who picked up his maiden five-wicket haul in the match and was also adjudged the man of the match.

"He's got 11 wickets in three games, he's bowled really well. Last game he missed out on a five-for, but he got it this time. He's doing a great job for us," Kohli added.

Kohli also lauded opener Rohit Sharma for slamming another classy century and his predecessor MS Dhoni for taking India home in the must win game after the visitors lost four wickets early on in their run chase.

Sri Lankan captain Chamara Kapugedera said the total they put up was below-par.

"I thought it was a good wicket, so we wanted to put on a score which we could defend. Things didn't go to our plans. We discussed not playing dot balls in the middle. 260-275 would have been a challenging score," said Kapugedera.