India will play Sri Lanka in the first of the five ODIs at Rajkot and after a batsman-dominated test match and a T20I series, things may not be too different in the ODIs either.

India will look to get back to their original ODI form in which they had won five consecutive ODI series, including two against Sri Lanka, but then lost in the Champions Trophy in the first round, and then against the Aussies at home. In fact, the series against the Aussies was almost played against a second string side, and that would mean that the Indians would begin on the backfoot again.

Talking of the Indian squad, the batting will continue looking good for the Indians. Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag will open the innings, with Gautam Gambhir at number three. But it is the middle-order which needs to live up to its expectations of being really good and explosive. Yuvraj Singh should bat at the number four position in order to get the most out of a highly talented batsman, whereas Suresh Raina should be afforded the number five position.

Sachin Tendulkar did have a 175 going his way in the ODI series against Australia but his form in the rest of the series was anything but something to write home about. It will need him to get back to his consistent self that he had been before the start of the series, whereas Virender Sehwag also had not had too many starts converted into big ones. He will look to bat like the manner he had in the test matches.

Zaheer Khan will return to play the series for India after the break from the T20I, but what will bother the Indians is that Sreesanth may not feature in the ODIs because he was tested positive for the swine flu. This will mean that there is a reasonable chance that Praveen Kumar will play the games, apart from a reasonable probability that Sudeep Tyagi gets a look-in after a not-so-good debut in the T20Is.

For Sri Lanka, the batsmen did get going in the T20Is, but the fifty overs format could be a different proposition altogether. Kumar Sangakkara's form, and the slight return to runs of Sanath Jayasuriya will gladden them. The middle order will be helped by Thilina Kandamby, who has been the part of the squad during the test matches as well and given the manner in which Chamara Kapugedera has batted in the T20Is, he should be in there as well.

All in all, it will be India batting versus Sri Lanka's bowling and fielding that will define the direction in which the game goes.

Tag :- India   Praveen Kumar   Sachin Tendulkar   Sanath Jayasuriya   Sri Lanka   Virender Sehwag   Yuvraj Singh