IND vs SL 1st ODI: Dhoni helps India avoid lowest total scare

Dharamsala: Rohit Sharma got off to a disastrous start as a captain as the Virat Kohli-less batting order collapsed miserably in front of an impeccable Sri Lankan pace attack in the first of the three-match ODI series at the HPCA ground here on Sunday.

MS Dhoni scored more than half of the runs the entire team scored (112 all out) with a magnificent 65-run inning that came off 87 balls and was laced with 10 fours and two humongous sixes.

Shockingly, none of the top five Indian batsmen, who include Shikhar Dhawan (0 off 6), Rohit Sharma (2 off 13), debutant Shreyas Iyer (9 off 27), Dinesh Karthik (0 off 18) and Manish Pandey (2 off 15), could touch the double figures.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya was the first batsman to breach into the double figures, but could not add a single run afterwards. He scored 10 runs off equal number of deliveries with two fours before edging the ball through to Angelo Mathews at slip area.

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It was only due to MS Dhoni's experience of playing in such situations which helped India avoid being wrapped up for the lowest ever score in One Day Internationals.

Dhoni, who came in to bat at No. 6, kept stitching partnerships with the tail-enders to get India to a fightable total. He was the only batsman who could show some aggression even against the Lankan pace batteries. He could have scored much more if got support from the other end.

112 can be called a good total considering India was seven down for just 29 runs in 16.4 overs. The credit for the same should also go to Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav who added 19 runs off 25 balls with the help of 4 boundaries.

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Suranga Lakmal, who had troubled India in the first Test, was once again on a roll as he picked up four wickets for 13 runs in 10 overs. He also bowled 4 maiden overs in his spell. Nuwan Pradeep also took two wickets while Angelo Mathews, Akila Dananjaya, Thisara Perera and Sachith Pathirana managed one wicket each.

Indian bowlers will have to pull out a terrific performance if they even want to give competition to the visiting side in the opening ODI.