India could give game time to fringe players

India captain Virat Kohli hinted they could give some of their reserve players a run in the side after winning the five-match ODI series in Sri Lanka with two games to spare.

The visitors won the third ODI in Kandy on Sunday by six wickets after chasing down a modest target of 218 with more than four overs to spare

The heroes for India were seamer Jasprit Bumrah, who took his maiden five-wicket haul in ODI cricket, while Rohit Sharma struck his 11th ton in the 50-over format in international cricket.

India have played the same team in all three games so far, but the skipper said they could give the likes batsmen Manish Pandey and Ajinkya Rahane, as well as bowlers Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav a game in the remaining two matches.

Kohli said after the game: “We have a squad of 15, we’ll look to give some of the other guys a go.

“Having won the series already, we can afford to give those guys a go.”

The final two ODIs of the series will be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Thursday and Sunday.