The opening stand
After being put into bat, openers Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane got off to a sedate start by negating the swing and seam in the earlier overs. Once they got their eye in, they unleashed their array of strokes. Both added 231 runs for the first wicket breaking many records enroute. While Dhawan was the first one dismissed for 113 in the 35th over, Rahane fell soon after for 111. Dhawan scored his sixth ODI hundred and Rahane scored his second ODI ton.


Cuttack: Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan hugs Ajinkya Rahane after completing his century during 1st ODI match against Sri Lanka in Cuttack. Pic/AFP 

Poor fielding
Before the start of the series, Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews confessed that his team were under prepared for the series that was a makeshift arrangement by the BCCI after the pull-out by the West Indies. His statement was a reflection of their performance in the field. Shikhar Dhawan was dropped on 10 and Rahane was dropped on 38. Both went on to make centuries which reflected in the huge score India posted on the board. Their bad fielding was evident from the fact that Matthews himself dropped a sitter on the last ball of the innings.