SL ask India to bat in 1st ODI

Dharamsala - Sri Lanka skipper Thisara Perera won the toss and chose to bowl first in the opening one-day international against India in Dharamsala on Sunday.

The visitors, who lost the three-Test series 1-0 last week, are looking for a winning start in the first of the three ODI games.

"It looks like a good batting track. We want to chase. We want to do well," said Perera, who replaced Upul Tharanga as captain last month.

Tharanga, who has had a superb run with the bat, remains in the XI with Asela Gunaratne added to bolster the batting. Allrounder Angelo Mathews is available to bowl after recovering from a calf injury.

India captain Rohit Sharma said that the hosts would have batted first even if they had won the toss.

"(The) sun is shining and it looks a good pitch. It is a good toss to lose," Sharma said.

Sharma said it is an "honour" for him to lead the side in the absence of Virat Kohli, who has taken a break ahead of India's all-important South Africa tour in January.

Mumbai batsman Shreyas Iyer has been handed his first ODI cap after playing just three Twenty20 internationals for India.

Teams

India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal

Sri Lanka: Thisara Perera (captain), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella (wicketkeeper), Sachith Pathirana, Suranga Lakmal, Akila Dananjaya, Nuwan Pradeep

Umpires: Anil Chaudhary (IND) and Simon Fry (AUS)

TV Umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS)

Match Referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)