India had a result to forget as they were beaten by Sri Lanka in a close encounter that at one point in time didn’t look anything like a thriller as the Men in Blue were down and out by a proverbial mile.

Hardik Pandya, the Indian captain, opened up at length about India’s hopes and despair and also highlighted the major pointers that need attention ahead of the series finale tomorrow. He was not happy with the approach that the Men in Blue deployed in the powerplay and issued a stern message for his team members as a lot will be at stake when the two continental juggernauts collide in Saurashtra.

Talking at the post-match presser, Hardik said, “In bowling and batting, the powerplay hurt us. We made some basic errors, which we shouldn't be making at this level. Everyone knows what it is; the learning for us is we should be focussing on what we can control. You can have a good day, you can have a bad day, but you shouldn't be moving away from the basics.”

“For Arshdeep, in this situation, it is very difficult. It is not about blaming him or to be too hard on him, but we know no-balls in any format is a crime. Rahul is accustomed to playing at no. 3, and someone coming in, we want to give them a role they are comfortable with. That's why he batted at No. 3,” he added.

India will need their wounds stitched in a hurry as Sri Lanka will be hoping to pull off an upset on Saturday with the fate of the series hanging in balance. With Hardik Pandya leading the forces, expect an absolute cracker to unfold when the two teams meet in Rajkot.