Rohit Sharma opens up after first ODI clash against Sri Lanka ends in draw

India captain Rohit Sharma has shared his thoughts after the first ODI against Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa Stadium ended in a draw.

Sharma believed that the 231-run target set by Sri Lanka was "gettable," given the conditions. Despite India’s solid start with Rohit Sharma's 58 off 47 balls, including seven fours and three sixes, the chase became a rollercoaster.

The Indian innings saw a dramatic turn after Sharma's dismissal, with India stumbling to 132-5 in 24.2 overs. The partnership between Axar Patel (33) and KL Rahul (31) revived the chase, bringing India back into contention. Shivam Dube also made a significant impact, pushing India close to the target.

However, with just one run needed from more than two overs, Sri Lanka's captain Charith Asalanka dismissed Dube, sealing the game in a draw without a Super Over.

In the post-match presentation, Sharma acknowledged the complexity of the chase.

"The score was gettable. You have to bat well to get there. We batted well in patches. No consistent momentum. We had the upper hand. We lost a couple of wickets," Rohit said.

The opening batter also praised the Sri Lankan team's performance and conceded that the result was fair.

"With the KL-Axar partnership, we came back. Little disappointing at the end. These things happened. Sri Lanka played well. In the end, it was a fair result. It (pitch) remained the same. It's not where you can come and play your shots. You have to dig in. The game shifted towards both teams at different times. We should have got that one run," he concluded.

The second match of the series is scheduled for Sunday at the same venue.