India face Sri Lanka in dead rubber ahead of Asia Cup final

A dominant India will aim to continue their unbeaten run when they take on a hapless Sri Lanka in a dead-rubber Super 4 encounter in the Asia Cup on Friday. The match also gives the Men in Blue a low-pressure opportunity to rest some of the senior members, including pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, ahead of Sunday’s summit clash. The penultimate Super 4 clash between Pakistan and Bangladesh will determine the other finalist.

Having already secured their spot in the final with convincing wins against Pakistan and Bangladesh, India can afford to experiment, particularly in the middle order where Sanju Samson has struggled to find his role. Samson’s performance against Bangladesh, where he was pushed down the order, highlighted the ongoing puzzle in India’s batting lineup.

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“Sanju is still figuring out how to bat at No. 5,” fielding coach Ryan ten Doeschate had remarked ahead of the Bangladesh game.

With the Sri Lanka match having no bearing on the standings, the team might consider giving Jitesh Sharma a chance in the middle order, particularly as a finisher. Jitesh’s IPL record suggests he is well-suited to the role. At No. 5, he has scored 374 runs off 253 balls at a strike rate of 147.8, while at No. 6, he has amassed 384 runs from 230 balls at 167.

At No. 7, he has struck at 178.9 in limited opportunities. These numbers indicate he could fill the middle-order void more effectively than Samson, who has been forced into a role that doesn’t suit his natural game.

Fielding has also been an area of concern, with India dropping 10 catches so far in the tournament, five against Bangladesh alone.

Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy acknowledged the need for improvement, saying, “As they say, you can’t give excuses at this level. As a team, we have to definitely start catching all those because we have qualified for the finals and we should be taking all those catches.”

He also noted the challenges posed by the Dubai International Cricket Stadium’s floodlights, likening them to a football ground and admitting they require acclimatisation.

While the Sri Lanka match offers a chance to experiment, the team management will also seek continuity and consistency. Meanwhile, the team can focus on resolving minor tactical concerns, ensuring they are battle-ready for a possible India-Pakistan face-off in the final.

To summarise, Friday’s fixture is more about preparation and assessment than competition, providing India a rare window to refine strategies and test alternatives without the pressure of points on the line.

Teams:

India: Suryakumar Yadav (Capt.), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.

Sri Lanka: Charith Asalanka (Capt.), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera (wk), Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Nuwanidu Fernando, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Janith Liyanage, Matheesha Pathirana, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Nuwan Thushara, Binura Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera.