ICC Champions Trophy: Harbhajan Singh Cautions India Ahead Of Clash With Sri Lanka

India kicked off their ICC Champions Trophy 2017 campaign on a high, pummeling Pakistan by a huge 124 runs at Edgbaston. Now, an upbeat Virat Kohli-led India will take on Sri Lanka in their second match on Thursday and a win will assure them of a place in the semi-finals. Ahead of India's second match of the tournament, veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh has come up with a warning message for Team India. India cannot afford to be complacent even though they are up against a Sri Lanka, which can hardly claim to be a great team.

"Let's not forget the upcoming game is extremely crucial from Sri Lanka's point of view because the team has already lost to South Africa and faces a must-win situation against the defending champion," Harbhajan wrote in his column for the ICC.

"The Men in Blue should also be wary of the complacency factor. On a high after the 124-run win over Pakistan, Virat Kohli and his side must not let the intensity levels down. India just needs to get the basics right. I expect the top order as well as Kohli and Yuvraj Singh to take off from where they left in Birmingham," he wrote.

Defending champions India put up an all-round show to drub arch-rivals Pakistan by 124 runs via Duckworth-Lewis (DLS) method in a rain-marred encounter.

Harbhajan feels India carry a lot of positives into the match, given their dominating win over Pakistan in the opener.

"Almost every batsman fired in right earnest during Sunday's showdown against Pakistan. Even the bowlers had a fruitful outing, but I would like to see some improvements in the bowling department. I must admit that I was a little surprised by India's underwhelming display in the field," he wrote.

"If it ends up being a 50-overs-a-side game, then I don't see Sri Lanka troubling India at all," he added but cautioned against taking things for granted.

"The islanders do not boast a great team, and Upul Tharanga's absence will hurt them immensely. With first-choice captain Angelo Mathews injured, it was left to Tharanga to stand in for him but now he has left a void," Harbhajan added.