Sri Lanka v India 1st Test day 3 review: Outstanding Chandimal leaves India with difficult chase
Sri Lanka v India 1st Test day 3 review: Outstanding Chandimal leaves India with difficult chase: Day 3 of the Galle Tests began with India in the ascendancy. If a 192-run lead wasn’t enough, India made sure they tightened their stranglehold over Sri Lanka, effectively reducing them 5/2 at the end of day 2. The hosts were still 187 runs behind and with only eight wickets in hand, and had a huge task ahead of not only reducing the deficit but also taking lead. And with the way the Indian spinners were bowling, the task was anything but easy.
But thanks to Chandimal’s stupendous effort, an unbeaten 162, Sri Lanka got a sizeable lead and gave the visitors a tricky target of 176. They say batting last in a Test match is never easy and the hosts would want to prove the saying right. When Sanga and Angelo Mathews departed in quick succession in the morning, it looked as if India could even win with an inning to spare, but Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirmanne shared a crucial 125-run stand to lift Sri Lanka and ensure the day ended with the match in balance.
India got off to a fantastic start on Day 3 as Varun Aaron removed nightwatchman Prasad straightaway. Angelo Mathews was given the benefit of doubt when replays were inconclusive whether Rohit had caught him in the leg slip. Ashwin ended Sangakkara’s resistance and broke the solid 81-run stand between him and Mathews. Just as it happened yesterday, Mishra struck soon after Ashwin got a wicket. Mathews, who scored a fighting fifty in the first innings had to depart on 39 as he came forward to block a delivery which turned and bounced, took the handle of the bat and offered a sharp take to Rahul at silly point. Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne got very lucky as the umpires missed the inside edge, when they were caught at leg gully and silly-point respectively. The duo survived a few nervy moments but managed to escape unscathed to lunch.
Kohli was put under tremendous pressure when the partnership was blossoming. The Indian skipper was restless and made quite a few changes. He wasn’t sure whom to throw the ball to as Ashwin and Mishra were leaking runs. With the ball reversing, Ishant and Aaron were also tried, but without success. Ashwin finally managed to get India the much-needed breakthrough when he dismissed Thirimanne for 44 and broke the 125-run sixth-wicket stand.
At tea, Dinesh Chandimal was just two runs shy of a terrific ton. He had completely turned things around for the hosts and given them a fighting chance. Ajinkya Rahane took his seventh catch in the match as Mubarak fell after a well made 49 to give Harbhajan his first wicket in the match. Chandimal was brilliant with his approach and never allowed the bowlers to bowl to their plans. He was unbeaten on 162 as Sri Lanka was bowled out for 367 to set India 176 runs to win the Test.
At lunch the hosts were 108/5, but what followed soon after surprised everyone. Chandimal and Thirimanne played aggressively. The wicket-keeper kept going even after losing his partner and added crucial partnerships with Mubarak and Kaushal. He registered his 4th Test ton and remained unbeaten. Ashwin once again was the pick of the bowlers as he registered his third 10-wicket haul. Mishra gave him good support picking up 3 scalps.
The Indian openers came in at the end of the day with a goal of negotiating the remaining overs safely. Much to their disappointment KL Rahul failed in the second innings as well as Rangana Herath picked up his first wicket of the match. Ishant came as the nightwatchman and survived few nervous moments to end the day with Indians at 23 for 1.
In July 2009, Pakistan had taken a first innings lead at Galle and were set a target of 178 and they capitulated to lose by 50 runs. Herath was the main destroyer with Mendis supporting him. Can Sri Lanka repeat that feat? Or will the Indian batsmen overhaul the target? A thriller awaits us on day 4.
Brief Scores :
Sri Lanka – 2nd innings 367, (Chandimal 162, Mubarak 49; Ashwin 4-114)
India – 2nd innings 23-1, (Herath 1-13)
India need 153 runs to win with 9 wickets in hand.
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