Washington Sundar believes India's third and final ODI against Sri Lanka presents an opportunity to prepare for next year's Champions Trophy.
India face the prospect of a first ODI series defeat against the Lions in 27 years after their 32-run defeat in their second Test at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
Rohit Sharma hit India's highest total with the bat, scoring 64 runs from 44 balls, with the match belonging to Sri Lanka's Jeffery Vandersay, who took 6-33.
"It is an opportunity for us to go out there and put our hands up and win those critical situations," Sundar said.
"Obviously with the big tournaments coming up, we will be in similar situations and it will be important to find ways as to what we can do to win those critical situations especially in similar conditions against quality spin attack.
"I think whatever we have done in this series so far, we will take that as a learning, obviously try and move ahead and win the game tomorrow in all aspects of the game."
"We are quality players of spin, matter of finding a way."
Sundar, did however, come to the defence of India's batters, having struggled against Sri Lanka's spinners in challenging conditions in their previous encounter.
"We are quality players of spin. We've always played in these kinds of wickets, even at home, in Test matches, and in different formats," Sundar said.
"Even domestic cricket, we play a lot of games in such wickets. And we know our players have done really well, especially in the middle order, batting against spin."
"So it's just a matter of finding a way, their own individual self and trying to get the job done.
"Everyone knows it's quite a challenging wicket. Obviously, the Indian team has always put its hands up, especially when the challenge arises.
"And that's when we've been very good, both with bat and ball, and we've come out flying colours out of the challenging situations."
The defeat last time out was the first in Gautam Gambhir's reign as the new India head coach, having breezed to a 3-0 series win in their T20I series in July.
Sundar has said the team have tried to implement the new tactics introduced by the 42-year-old, something he knows will take time to come to fruition.
"There has been a lot of input from him," Sundar started. "He is a high-quality player of spin.
"We have always seen him putting up great performances, especially in such wickets against quality spin.
"That is one of the reasons we came out here today to practice and try and find a way and try and do those small little changes tactically and be prepared and ready for tomorrow's game and be really on top of our game in all aspects."
Making Test debut at home would be “extremely proud” moment for Bryan Charles- “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time”
Making your debut on the biggest stage in International cricket at home is a dream that every aspiring cricketer has.
On Wednesday, that dream could become reality for Trinidadian off-spinner Bryan Charles.
The 29-year-old is a part of the West Indies squad to face South Africa in three Test matches, with the first beginning on Wednesday at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.
“It would be an extremely proud moment for me, especially if I am lucky enough to receive my cap at home,” Charles said in an interview with CWI’s John Phillips at the end of a training session on Monday.
Charles’ first call-up to the West Indies test squad comes after 44 First-Class games since his debut against Guyana at Providence in 2015.
In those 44 games, Charles has taken 150 wickets at an average of 26.56 including seven five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket match haul.
This past West Indies Championship season, Charles led the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force with 31 wickets in seven matches at an average of 17.
“I was obviously pretty elated to hear the news. It was a very proud moment for me. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” he said of receiving the call-up before thanking his father for introducing him to the game at a young age.
“Obviously, I’d like to thank my dad. He introduced me to most sports but I stuck with cricket from my younger days and made a career out of it from playing for the national team from Under-13 straight up to the senior team,” he added.
This won’t be Charles’ first time representing the West Indies on the international stage, however, as he represented the West Indies Under-19s at the 2014 ICC Under-19 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
As far as inspirations in international cricket go, Charles singled out Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon, specifically mentioning his fondness of his action.
If given a chance to play on Wednesday, there’s no doubt Charles would love to emulate what Lyon did on test debut against Sri Lanka in 2010 when he dismissed the great Kumar Sangakkara wit the first ball of his career.
“She gives 100% every single time”- Windies skipper Matthews welcomes Dottin’s return to international cricket
West Indies Women ODI and T20I Captain Hayley Matthews has welcomed the return of all-rounder Deandra Dottin to international cricket.
Dottin, who retired from the international game back, reversed her decision last week with the highly anticipated ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on the horizon.
Matthews, currently representing the Welsh Fire in the Women’s Hundred in England, spoke briefly about Dottin’s return in an interview with ESPN Cricinfo last week, highlighting the Trinidadian’s commitment whenever she plays.
“With Deandra, one thing that I can say for sure is that she is someone who, when she steps onto the field, is going to give 100% every single time,” Matthews said.
“That’s something that would be definitely wanted in any team,” she added.
Dottin, 33, has played 143 ODIs and 127 T20Is for the West Indies since her debut against Ireland in June 2008.
She has scored 3727 runs at an average of 30.54 in ODIs with three centuries and 22 fifties and a highest score of 150* against South Africa in January 2022.
In T20Is, Dottin has scored 2697 runs at an average of 25.68 including two centuries and 12 fifties. Her highest score in the format is 112* against South Africa back in 2010. That 38-ball hundred is still the fastest hundred in Women’s T20Is.
As it relates to Dottin’s role when she returns to the line-up, Matthews says she still wants to have some discussions with the team and Dottin herself before she elaborates further.
“I do plan and want to have discussions with her and with the team as well. Obviously, that’s the most important thing for us right now and until I’ve had those conversations I’d prefer not to make any more comments,” she said.
Dottin is set to lead the Trinbago Knight Riders Women in the upcoming Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL).
The West Indies Women’s next fixture will be a T20 World Cup Warm-up match against India on September 28.
Vandersay rips through India as Sri Lanka snatch series lead
Jeffrey Vandersay tore through India's batting lineup with six wickets as Sri Lanka snatched the ODI series lead with a 32-run victory in Colombo.
Leg-spinner Vandersay managed 6-33 – his best international figures – as Rohit Sharma's tourists collapsed in remarkable fashion on Sunday, falling 1-0 down with one ODI remaining in the three-match series.
India held their hosts to a modest 240-9 in the first innings as Washington Sundar (3-30) led the way, while Avishka Fernando and Kamindu Mendis anchored at either end of the batting order with 40 apiece.
Rohit responded by crashing 64 off just 44 deliveries as India raced to 97 without loss, only for the captain to fall when attempting to reverse sweep a climbing Vandersay delivery in the 14th over.
The 34-year-old spinner would soon remove Shubman Gill, on 35, and Shivam Dube without scoring in the same over, before trapping Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer in front to complete his first ODI five-wicket haul.
KL Rahul followed to leave India struggling at 147-6, though Axar Patel offered resistance before falling on 44 to Charith Asalanka, who then removed Sundar and Mohammed Siraj.
Arshdeep Singh was then run out as a battling Sri Lanka seized control heading into the final clash on Wednesday.
Data Debrief: Vandersay becomes Sri Lanka's new Murali
Vandersay had only managed 27 wickets in 20 previous ODI innings for Sri Lanka, though added six with an eye-catching showing of leg-spin bowling here.
His previous 4-10 best in this format came against cricketing minnows Zimbabwe, but a remarkable six-wicket haul will live long in the memory after dismissing two India greats in Rohit and Kohli.
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