India's fitness to be rigorously examined against the red-hot, in-form Sri Lanka

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Two weeks ago, in the bustling city of Bengaluru, the Indian cricket team bound for the Asia Cup underwent rigorous fitness assessments to gauge their preparedness for the upcoming three-month cricketing extravaganza.

Fast forward to Tuesday, and these fitness levels will face another stern examination as India makes a swift return to the R Premadasa Stadium, a mere 12 hours after triumphing over Pakistan in a two-day game, marred by intermittent rain. The victory was nothing short of spectacular, with India clinching it by a staggering 228 runs, catapulting their net run-rate to new heights and placing them on the cusp of securing a spot in Sunday's final.

As the tournament kicked off, India was plagued by numerous questions and uncertainties.

Firstly, could Ishan Kishan effectively handle the middle-order batting responsibilities? The young prodigy provided an emphatic answer, smashing an impressive 81 off 82 balls against Pakistan in Pallekele to announce his arrival in the tournament.

Secondly, the spotlight was on Jasprit Bumrah - could he unleash his formidable skills against formidable batting line-ups? Bumrah left no room for doubt, wreaking havoc by removing Imam-ul-Haq in a fiery opening spell that laid the foundation for India's outstanding defense.

The third question revolved around KL Rahul's match readiness. Having not kept wickets for quite some time and returning to action after an extended absence since early May, Rahul was a wildcard entry into the playing XI. His response was nothing short of phenomenal, notching up a scintillating run-a-ball century (111 not out in 106 balls) and forging an unbroken partnership of 223 runs with Virat Kohli for the third wicket. In addition, Rahul donned the gloves for most of Pakistan's innings, dispelling any concerns about his fitness and capabilities.

Furthermore, there was the matter of providing Suryakumar Yadav with playing time and assessing Shreyas Iyer's fitness for a potential return. The possibility of resting some of the frontline fast bowlers to give Mohammed Shami and Prasidh Krishna an opportunity also loomed large.

In the heart of this action-packed tournament, India sought answers to these crucial questions as they aimed to cement their position as a dominant force in international cricket.

Kunal

In this tour of Sri Lanka, Dhawan has also been in red-hot form.