India vs Sri Lanka ODIs: All Time Combined Best XI
Few greats are still missing but we can only have 11 players in the team and this team would surely win most of the games against any opposition.
Middle Order (Kumar Sangakkara, Virat Kohli, Aravinda de Silva, MS Dhoni (C) (wk))
The left handed stylish batsman Kumar Sangakkara walks into the team when it comes to the no.3 position in any batting line up. The wicketkeeper batsman has been retired from all forms of cricket in 2015 but has been plundering runs in county cricket and T20 leagues. Sangakkara and Jayawardene were the core of the Sri Lanka line up for more than a decade. Sangakkara had a special liking to the Indian bowlers and he has made a mockery of their bowling when he used to be in the mood.
Virat Kohli has started his career against Sri Lanka and is their nemesis since then. Very few must have forgotten his 133* at Bellerive Oval in Hobart when he bludgeoned the best in the business, Malinga, all over the park. The current Indian captain has been part of many bilateral series and has played in most of them and needless to say, has had an impact in each of the series. He would be hoping to continue the dominance over them in the upcoming series.
Aravinda de Silva is another Sri Lankan player who has played a key role in many bilateral series against India, mostly in 90s. In 1997 when India toured Sri Lanka, De Silva plundered runs at an average of 70.66 and strike rate of 92.57 and continued his happy run against them for a couple of years. The centurion in the final of 1996 World Cup was also the highest run-getter in a couple of series against India. Sri Lanka are surely missing their best middle order player in this modern era.
Alike Kohli, Dhoni too came into limelight in a series against Sri Lanka. The bowlers from the island nation might still be feeling the scars of that innings of 183* when he murdered their bowling. Dhoni has stolen many wins from the jaws of the defeat for India against Sri Lanka, the famous one being the last over thriller in Port of Spain. The former captain won it for his country when Sri Lanka were just one wicket away in the final. He would be the captain and the wicketkeeper of this playing XI solely because of the number of series India has won under him.
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