Sri Lanka vs India: Net practice crucial to develop new tactics says Jasprit Bumrah

Kandy: After delivering a stupendous bowling performance in the third ODI against Sri Lanka, Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah said for staying in the game for a longer period of time, it is important to evolve new tactics, which need to be constantly developed during net practice sessions held prior to the game.

"Once a person watches one's videos and starts to plan for the game, they know what to expect from one's bowling. So one have to keep evolving according to situation, I think one need to adapt because If you are just a one trick pony then that won't work for long period of time," Bumrah told reporters here in a press briefing.

Stressing on the importance of moulding one's performance according to the wickets, he said one cannot be successful with just one or two tricks. He also believed that it is necessary to learn from experienced players and take the expertise forward.

"Everything which we develop requires practice because without practice nothing is possible. For developing new things practice in the net is very important," he emphasised.

Bumrah said it is a challenge for a player to give their best in different conditions and constant change and experience helps a lot in such cases.

"As a bowler one constantly need to learn new thing. That is my main aim all the time. This is my first visit to Sri Lanka, I never played here so it's always a challenge to play in a different condition," he said.

Talking about the match against Sri Lanka, Bumrah said the last wicket was a bit slower and he used variations, which proved to be helpful for the team.

"Over this wicket when we started the ball was seaming a bit. So we were trying to use that for our advantage and tried to do good result from the wicket. I was good so it worked in our favour," he said.

Sharing his experience with the new head coach, Ravi Shastri, Bumrah said the former has always been supportive and advised him to not to take much pressure.

"He asked me to treat it like a normal Ranjit trophy game, because if one play for India and take extra pressure that won't help. One won't be able to express oneself so that thing which he said in the first match is till with me and I shall try to carry it forward,' he said.

Swashbuckling Indian opener Rohit Sharma scored a brilliant hundred as India won the third ODI comfortably by six wickets, thereby clinching the five-match series here at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium here on Sunday.

Chasing a paltry score of 218, India recovered from early hiccups,thanks to a brilliant partnership between Rohit (124) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (67) to help the Men in Blue cross the line with ease .

Security forces were called in between the match when India were 210 for four after 44 overs, to clear the spectators from some of the sections in the gallery after Sri Lankan supporters resorted to throwing bottles into the field of play.

The visiting side's batting order collapsed for a second successive time after Shikhar Dhawan (5), skipper Virat Kohli (3), KL Rahul (17) and Kedar Jadhav (0) were back to sent back to the pavilion on 61-4.

However, Dhoni and Sharma kept their calm and composure to help India not only get out of troubled waters but also take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.

Bumrah came out with a stupendous bowling performance as India restricted the hosts 217-9 in their stipulated quota of 50 overs.

Bumrah ended with 5-27, his best figures in an ODI. He was ably supported by Bhuvneshwar Kumar who couldn't scalp any wicket but put a break on the Sri Lankan batting. Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel and Kedar Jadhav all chipped in with a wicket each

For the hosts, Lahiru Thirimanne was the top scorer as played a fine knock of 80, which included five boundaries and a six. Apart from him, Dinesh Chandimal (36) and Milinda Siriwardana (29) made some notable contributions.

Bumrah was awarded man of the match for his brilliant bowling performance.This was India's seventh successive bilateral series victory against Sri Lanka.

The two teams will now lock horns in the fourth ODI to be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on August 31.