Lahiru Thirimanne (51) and Angelo Mathews (52) struck half-centuries after Sri Lanka bowled out India for a meagre 172 as the visitors closed in on a first innings lead in the opening Test against India at the Eden Gardens on Saturday.
When the bad light forced stumps on the third day, Sri Lanka were 165/4, trailing by seven runs, with skipper Dinesh Chandimal (13) and Niroshan Dickwella (14) at the crease.
Sri Lanka had taken a firm grip over the proceedings but paceman Umesh Yadav removed both Thirimanne and Mathews in the post-tea session to take a bit of pressure off the hosts.
Thirimanne and Mathews added 99 runs for the third wicket to negate the twin blows from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who removed both the Sri Lankan openers — Sadeera Samarawickrama (23) and Dimuth Karunaratne (8).
With its chips already down, India received a further setback when paceman Mohammed Shami walked off the field due to a right hamstring issue towards the end of the day.
India resumed at a precarious 74/5 and managed to add 98 more runs to their overnight total, which was their second-lowest score against Sri Lanka at home.
It is only the second time the islanders have dismissed India under 200 in its own den, after the hosts were dismissed for 167 in Chennai in December 2005.
On the other side, everything seem to fall in place for the tourists as they bowled India out to be in an advantageous position, resisted the Indian attack nicely and called two successful DRS reviews.
Having taken a review to overturn umpire Joel Wilson’s decision which resulted in Ravindra Jadeja’s dismissal, Sri Lanka won another review to save Karunaratne — the left-handed opener had been given out trapped in front by Mohammed Shami — though he would not last long.
Bhuvneshwar bounced back to send back Karunaratne and Samarawickrama in successive overs to brighten India’s hopes.
However, Sri Lankan vice-captain Thrimanne and former captain Mathews, who was promoted to two-down in his comeback match, put on a composed display with their left-right combination.
Barring the blip when Thirimanne was dropped by Shikhar Dhawan in the slip cordon, the Lankans did not put a step wrong on another frustrating day for the home team.
Interestingly, both Thirimanne and Mathews both faced 94 balls each and struck eight boundaries each.
Earlier, coming out to bat at an overnight score of 47, Cheteshwar Pujara (52 off 117) completed his half-century in the morning but could not make it big after being cleaned up by Lahiru Gamage (2/59) with a superb in-cutter.
Wriddhiman Saha (29) and Ravindra Jadeja (22) produced a brisk 48-run seventh-wicket partnership but off-spinner Dilruwan Perera (2/19) struck twice in the space of three balls to remove both batsmen.
Perera broke the partnership as the tourists successfully used a review to overturn the decision of Joel Wilson, who was standing in for an indisposed Richard Kettleborough.
Jadeja was trapped in line but was given not out by the umpire as it seemed that the ball might have nicked the bat first; the review, however, made it clear that there was pad first and the left-hander had to walk back to the pavillion.
Two balls later, Wriddhiman Saha got out with a faint edge which was taken by Mathews at First Slip as India reviewed unsuccessfully.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (13) and Mohammed Shami (22) made some quick runs. Shami was later involved in a 26-run last-wicket partnership with Umesh Yadav (6 not out) to prop up India’s total.
India 1st Innings:
KL Rahul c Dickwella b Lakmal 0
Shikhar Dhawan b Lakmal 8
Cheteswar Pujara b Gamage 52
Virat Kohli lbw b Lakmal 0
Ajinkya Rahane c Dickwella b Shanaka 4
R Ashwin c Karunaratne b Shanaka 4
Wriddhiman Saha c Mathews b Dilruwan Perera 29
Ravindra Jadeja lbw b Dilruwan Perera 22
Bhuvneshwar Kumar c Dickwella b Lakmal 13
Mohammed Shami c Shanaka b Gamage 24
Umesh Yadav not out 6
Extras: (B-6, LB-4) 10
Total: (For 10 wickets, 59.3 overs) 172
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-13, 3-17, 4-30, 5-50, 79-6, 127- 7, 128-8, 146-9.
Bowling: S Lakmal 19-12-26-4, L Gamage 17.3-5-59-2, D Shanaka 12-4-36-2, D Karunaratne 2-0-17-0, Rangana Herath 2-0 -5-0, Dilruwan Perera 7-1-19-2.
Sri Lanka 1st Innings:
Sadeera Samarawickrama c Saha b Bhuvneshwar 23
Dimuth Karunaratne lbw b Bhuvneshwar 8
Lahiru Thirimanne c Kohli b Yadav 51
Angelo Mathews c Rahul b Yadav 52
Dinesh Chandimal not out 13
Niroshan Dickwella not out 14
Extras: (LB-4) 4
Total: (For 4 wkts; 45.4 overs) 165
Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-34, 3-133, 4-138.
Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 14.4-2-49-2, Mohammed Shami 13.5-5-53-0, Umesh Yadav 13-1-50-2, R Ashwin 4-0-9-0, R Jadeja 0.1-0-0-0.
