Gambhir lauds Raina’s effort but shows concern about India’s bowling in death overs

Colombo: India might have won the third ODI against Sri Lanka, but the architect of the triumph, opener Gautam Gambhir, feels the team has to get its act together as far as bowling at the death is concerned, says a report in The Times Of India. "We didn't bowl well in the last 10 overs. You look to restrict the last 10 to 60 or 70, 95 was too many", Gambhir, who scored 102 off 101 balls to guide India to a five-wicket win while chasing 287, said.

Gambhir said it was not good that two unsettled batsmen, Angelo Mathews and Jeevan Mendis, scored heavily off the last 10 overs. Gambhir said if India were to win, one of the top-three in the batting order have to perform well. "Luckily and fortunately it was my turn today, one had to bat through so others can play around him," Gambhir said.

Hindustan Times adds Gambhir saying that the wicket got better in the second part of the match and it was an important win in the context of the series. On Rohit Sharma's first-ball dismissal, Gambhir said everyone must back him despite his poor run in the series. "Rohit Sharma is one of the best talents that India has ever had," Gambhir said. Gambhir also lauded Suresh Raina's contribution to the win. “Getting 65 today was brilliant and he played the role that he had been picked for," he said.
Mahela Jayawardene was expectedly disappointed about his team's loss. "The loss was disappointing. There wboere certain situations in which we did well," he said.

Meanwhile a Hindu report says that Sri Lanka’s batting mainstay Kumar Sangakkara is out of action for a ‘minimum of four weeks,’ Sri Lanka Cricket announced here on Saturday. Sangakkara was hit on the wrist by a rising Ashok Dinda delivery, during the course of his innings in the third one-day at R.Premadasa stadium. He will miss the inaugural edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League.