Dimuth Karunaratne praises BCCI’s decision to allow a 50 per cent crowd for Virat Kohli’s 100th Test in Mohali

Sri Lanka Test skipper Dimuth Karunaratne has appreciated the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision to allow a 50 per cent crowd for the first Test match against India starting at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium in Mohali on Friday, March 4. The match has generated an additional interest since it will be former India captain Virat Kohli’s 100th Test. The BCCI had initially decided to host the game behind closed doors owing to the pandemic but later altered their stance by permitting the PCA to host the match with a partial crowd occupancy.

Speaking on the same, Karunaratne said that it was good on the BCCI’s part to allow spectators to witness Kohli’s milestone match. Kohli is seen as one of the modern-day greats of the game and has been lauded by many former and present cricketers for his accomplishments on the field.

“I came to know it is Virat’s 100th Test. A good decision from the BCCI to allow a 50 per cent crowd,” Karunaratne, who has led his side in 16 matches, said in a virtual press conference ahead of the first match.

The cricketer from Delhi made his Test debut in 2011 against the West Indies and has not looked back since. He has scored 7,962 runs in the long format at an impressive average of 50.29. He has also been India’s most successful Test captain with 40 wins in 68 matches. 

The Test in Mohali will also mark Sri Lanka’s 300th Test match

Notably, the first Test will also mark Sri Lanka’s 300th Test match. The 33-year-old Karunaratne also expressed his pride in leading the team in its landmark Test saying that he would be putting his best foot forward to help his country come out with the best possible result. Sri Lanka have never won a Test series in India.

“That’s a great feeling…captaining in the country’s 300th Test. I did not expect it. It is a great honour for me. I will try my best to give the best result for Sri Lanka,” he added.

Sri Lanka made their debut as a Test-playing nation in 1982 and has won 95 times, lost on 113 occasions while 91 of their matches have been drawn.

The Mohali Test will also see ace India opener Rohit Sharma making his debut as the country’s Test captain.