India v Sri Lanka, 3rd Test - 5 Talking Points

At the close of absorbing fourth day’s play, Sri Lanka were three down with only 31 runs on the board. Indian captain Virat Kohli and head coach were quite confident to turn things in their favour on the final day of the Test match, but little did they know that Sri Lanka had some other plans. To add to Kohli’s confidence, the situation of the visitors became all the more critical when umpire missed the errant front-foot of the bowler and former skipper Angelo Mathews had to walk back to the pavilion.

With 4 down for just 35 runs, every cricket pandit was expecting the scoreline to show 2-0, and not 1-0, in lieu of that one would have to say that Sri Lankan players have shown some serious temperament ensuring their side to go into one-day International series with their head held high. The batting display shown by Dhananjaya de Silva and his counterpart Niroshan Dickwella, Roshen Silva helped Lankans to draw the final Test.

On the other hand, Indian Team will definitely be the happier side, winning another home series, their last Test series at home soil for some time now. It will be interesting to see India’s analysis before all-important series against South Africa.

Here are the 5 Talking Points of the final Test:

1. Virat Kohli continued his dream run

Indian skipper Virat Kohli continued his prime form in the third and final Test scoring his career-best 243 runs off 287 deliveries which was laced with 25 boundaries. A strike-rate of 84.67 in a Test match speaks volume of his character. He has the ability to make a paradigm shift in his batting which helps him to dominate the bowlers and play all around the park. The consecutive double century was followed by a quickfire 50 in second innings, helping his side reach in a comfortable position.

2. Partnership between Chandimal and Mathews

After Sri Lanka lost three quick wickets in the first innings, skipper Dinesh Chandimal and former skipper Angelo Mathews put up a partnership of 181 runs on the board before Angelo Mathews was sent back to the pavilion. Angelo Mathews registered his eighth Test hundred, whereas Dinesh Chandimal continued to bat till the end scoring 164 runs off 361 deliveries. It was because of Chandimal and Mathews partnership that Sri Lankan Team got their lost belief back, which later ensured them to play a draw against India.

3. Indian Team continued to dominate with bat in second innings

After a lead of 164 runs in the first innings, Indian team thought to add 250 odd runs to be in a respectable position from where they cannot lose. With this thought, Indian openers came out to bat and Vijay and Rahane couldn’t capitalize on the plan. However, Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara started to play aggressively which was later continued by the skipper and Rohit Sharma who scored fifty runs each.

4. Sri Lankan Batsman showed some serious temperament

Playing against India, and that too in their conditions is not an easy task for any opposition. With Sri Lanka already on the backfoot at the end of fourth day’s play, no one would have ever thought that Sri Lanka would make a spirited comeback in the game and help themselves to draw the final game between two nations.

For Sri Lanka, the star was Dhananjaya de Silva and Roshen Silva who played until they got a signal from the balcony to shake hands.  For all their troubles before this, today’s performance holds out hope for a much steadier future with the likes of Dhananjaya de Silva and debutant Roshen Silva stepping up in the middle order.

5. Ninth consecutive series win, joint-most with Australia

As Virat Kohli and co. wrap up the series with scoreline 1-0, they registered the ninth consecutive series win in last year and a half. Virat Kohli and men haven’t lost a series since 2015 Sri Lanka tour where they registered a famous win in the third Test. The belief of this team has risen under the captaincy of Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri who not only believe in their players but also back them to do well every time they step on to the field. Virat has been able to set standards and one would have to say, India is having a dream run which Australia had back in 2005-08.