India, Sri Lanka Ready for World Cup Preparation

Cuttack: India and Sri Lanka start World cup prepartion in the first game of the five-match ODI series at the Barabati stadium in Cuttack on Sunday.

In the last six years, they have played 48 ODIs, meaning an average of eight ODIs per year. Such has been the regularity of these contests that players from both the sides are well familiar with each other's strengths and weaknesses.

Both India and Sri Lanka will be aiming for a better performance before embarking on a long and tough international sojourn.

With MS Dhoni and Bhuvneshwar Kumar opting to rest and with Mohammed Shami injured, India's bench strength will be tested in this series. Virat Kohli will lead the side and R Ashwin will make a comeback after sitting out of the West Indies series.

The bowling looks balanced with Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav forming the fastest pace bowling duo for India. Amit Mishra, Ravindra Jadeja, Akshar Patel and Ashwin form the quartet of spinners. If Shikhar Dhawan can click at the top, then India look a solid unit.

Sri Lanka will be hampered by the absence of Lasith Malinga and Rangana Herath. Herath has been rested for the series while Malinga is recovering from ankle surgery. With the bowling weakened, the onus will be on Nuwan Kulasekara to shepherd the attack.

Thisara Perera was the in-form player in Sri Lanka's last series against Pakistan and he will be the key. Upul Tharanga scored 76 in the game against India A and he will be the key at the top. The Lankan bowlers took a pasting at the hands of Rohit Sharma and Manish Pandey and must get their act together in this series.

Teams from:

India: Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli (Capt.), Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Varun Aaron, Dhawal Kulkarni, Amit Mishra, Akshar Patel, Murali Vijay

Sri Lanka: Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews (Capt.), Chaturanga de Silva, Thisara Perera, Ashan Priyanjan, Nuwan Kulasekara, Seekkuge Prasanna, Lahiru Gamage, Suraj Randiv, Kushal Janith Perera, Dhammika Prasad, Niroshan Dickwella

Pitch and conditions:
Sunny conditions with a high of 31 degrees. Dew may form in the early evening but no chance of rain.

Stats and trivia

• India and Sri Lanka have played two ODIs in Cuttack and both have won one match each.
• Sri Lanka have played eight bilateral ODI series in India but they have never won a bilateral ODI series in India. Their best result was a 1-1 draw in a three-match series in 1997.

Match facts
Sunday, November 2, 2014 (day/night)
Start time 1330 local (0800 GMT, 1330 SL)