Three months after subjecting Sri Lanka to a 9-0 whitewash across all formats, Virat Kohli’s men prevailed 1-0 in the latest round of a duel between the neighbours to seal their record-equalling ninth consecutive Test series win. Sri Lanka defy India but fail to save seriesThree of those triumphs have come against an unsettled and inexperienced Sri Lankan side in the throes of a tricky transition period following the retirements of batting stalwarts Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara in 2015. While it makes financial sense for Sri Lanka to play India, the game’s economic engine, the home board (BCCI) said the latest series, an underwhelming prospect for fans, was unavoidable as it had to honour its commitment to the calendar. “This analysis has to be done over a period of time, by asking fans who watch the game,” said Kohli. For us, there is no room for saying that I don’t want to play this game.

Source: The Express Tribune December 07, 2017 10:52 UTC