India Aim to Test Bench Strength

Kolkata: After India have already clinch the five match series, now aim for test bench strength in fourth ODI against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Thursday.

While experimentation would be high on India’s stand-in captain Virat Kohli’s agenda, Sri Lanka are in desperate search of victory.

India and Sri Lanka go into the fourth match of the five-match ODI series with series decided, but different targets. While experimentation would be high on India's stand-in captain Virat Kohli's agenda, Sri Lanka are in desperate search of victory.

India expectedly have decided to rest some of the key players for the remaining two ODIs against Sri Lanka. Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha, Ishant Sharma, Varun Aaron, Mohammed Shami have been given a rest while Indian selectors have decided to bring in Rohit Sharma, Robin Uthappa, Karn Sharma, Vinay Kumar and Kedar Jadhav.

Dhawan and Saha's exclusion from the team clearly indicates that Rohit and Uthappa will get a game at the Eden Gardens. It is unlikely that Jadhav will find a place in the middle order but Jadeja's absence might give legspinner Karn Sharma another opportunity to impress.

On otherhand, Sri Lanka lost in Hyderabad despite Mahela Jayawardene's ton. Like India, Sri Lanka also have new inductees for the remaining two ODIs in form of Shaminda Eranga, Dinesh Chandimal, Ajantha Mendis and Lahiru Thirimanne. They replace Kumar Sangakkara, Dhammika Prasad, Suraj Randiv and Upul Tharanga.

Lankan bowling has lacked teeth so far in the series and they would hope that someone like Eranga and Mendis will change things to some extent. Sri Lanka's fielding, their performances in the Powerplay have let them down and they would hope to turn things in Kolkata.

Teams from

India: Virat Kohli (Capt.), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa (wk), Akshar Patel, Karn Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Stuart Binny, Vinay Kumar, Kedar Jadhav

Sri Lanka: Kushal Perera (wk), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews (Capt.), Ashan Priyanjan, Thisara Perera, Seekkuge Prasanna, Shaminda Eranga, Ajantha Mendis, Lahiru Gamage, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Chaturanga de Silva, Nuwan Kulasekara, Niroshan Dickwella

Pitcfh & condition:
Mainly clear skies with maximum of 32 degrees

Stats & trivia:

1. Out of 183 ODIs played between the two teams, India have won 81 while Sri Lanka were victorious in 54.
2. Ajantha Mendis has played more matches against India than any other team. His 32 wickets from 17 games against India have come at an average of 23.68.
3. If Sri Lanka win the last two ODIs, it will have been the first time they win more than one match in a bilateral series in India.

Match facts
Thursday, November 13, 2014 (day/night)
Start time 1330 local (0800 GMT, 1.30pm SLT)