India won the toss and Virat Kohli opted to bat first, looking to set a high score and the tone for the rest of the 5-match One Day International series. India got off to the worst possible start after they were reduced to 11 for 3, which could have been 12 for 4 had Smith taken a regulation slip catch. Coulter Nile was the pick of the bowlers as he got all the three wickets. Virat Kohli was out for a duck, which was his 27th of his career. But it was the catch of Manish Pandey that made us feel for the lad, he was out in the most unlucky fashion possible. Young Pandey was out for a second ball duck. he was in good form in Sri Lanka, but could not cash in on that.
It was a ball that was a touch too wide and a touch too full for an extravagant drive. But it was a teasing ball, like the one he got Virat Kohli with. Pandey fell prey to the trap and edged it to the keeper. There was some confusion over whether the ball had hit the ground before going to the keeper, it was hence referred to the third umpire. The third umpire after a lot of replays had made up his mind as it was concluded that there was no contact with the ground on way to the keeper. Pandey was given out and India was in trouble on a pitch that loos to be two-paced.
Here is the video of the episode that happened:
— Virat Kohli (@Cricvids1) September 17, 2017
India needs to start off the series with some momentum they gained from Sri Lanka. Virat Kohli has already mentioned at the toss that he expects the wicket to slow up as the game progresses and his spinners can come into the picture.
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