India vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI: Hosts win toss and bat first, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav make debuts

Sri Lanka skipper and all-rounder Dasun Shanaka won the toss and decided to bats first in the first ODI against India at Colombo on Sunday (July 18). Shikhar Dhawan, who became India’s oldest first time captain at the age of 35, failed to call first and will be leading the side to bowl first.

Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav will be making their ODI debuts for India. Ishan Kishan becomes only the second Indian and overall the 16th player to make his ODI debut on birthday. Gursharan Singh was the first Indian to do so, against Australia in Hamilton in 1990.

The oldest first time captain before Dhawan was Mohinder Amarnath, who was 34 years 37 days vs Pakistan, Sialkot in 1984. “We were also looking to bat first as dew factor will come into play. Shaw will open along with me. Kishan and Suryakumar will make their debuts. Kuldeep and Chahal are the two spinners playing for us,” Dhawan said at the toss.

Meanwhile, the spin bowling duo of ‘KulCha’ – Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal – were also back in the ODI side with all-rounder Krunal Pandya being the third spin bowling option for skipper Dhawan. The pace bowling duty will be handled by India vice-captain Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Chennai Super Kings paceman Deepak Chahar. 

India Playing XI: Shikhar Dhawan(c), Prithvi Shaw, Ishan Kishan(w), Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav

Sri Lanka Playing XI:  Avishka Fernando, Minod Bhanuka (wk), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (C), Wanindu Hasaranga, Isuru Udana, Lakshan Sandakan, Dushmantha Chameera and Chamika Karunaratne