After two days of fence-sitting, the dynamic of the narrative unfolding at the P Sara Oval shifted India’s way on Saturday. India won two sessions to Sri Lanka’s one and if not for a quick turnaround early on day four, the host’s hopes will most probably hiss itself dry.
At stumps on day three of the second Test, India was 70 for one — 157 runs ahead — with M. Vijay batting on 39 and Ajinkya Rahane on 28. The visitors had earlier dismissed the Lankans — propped up by skipper Angelo Mathews’s century (102, 167b, 12x4) — for 306 in their first innings.
India’s opening combination failed yet again in this series, as K.L. Rahul, century-maker in the first innings, was bowled by Dhammika Prasad — an example of the bowler’s ability to move it both ways from just short of length. The delivery came in a shade even as Rahul played for the outswinger and let the ball take the inside edge on its way to the stumps.
Watchful As the shadows lengthened, Vijay and Rahane were watchful during their 67-run association and nursed their team back to full health, setting themselves up for a full-blown acceleration on Sunday.
The first two days had started with the sun partly hidden and the rain drops from the early morning drizzle still trickling down the thatched green roofs of the colonial era stands. The resultant moisture had brought some appreciable movement in the first hour. Lured by it, Virat Kohli gave Stuart Binny the ball as early as the second over, even when there wasn’t much rain in the air.
But, in just one over, he realised that the amount of swing was minimal and chose to remove Binny. However, this was not before Mathews, in a show of intent, hit two fours in the ‘V’.
From the other end, Ishant Sharma bowled an excellent four-over spell. Twenty-two of those balls were at Lahiru Thirimanne of which the batsman scored just three runs. He brought the ball back into the left-hander appreciably and made the odd one hold its line. One such delivery kissed the edge in the very first over but didn’t carry to the wicket-keeper.
But, Mathew’s bustling approach meant that Thirimanne could bide his time.
Rotating the strike seemed paramount. With the spinners bowling for a majority of time and a fairly spread-out field to cut down the boundaries, it did pay dividends.
The duo scored at just under three an over — 84 runs in 28 overs — but more importantly, it was a wicket-less session. The latter, in the process, scored his first half-century in nine innings.
There were two rain interruptions immediately after lunch. But Thirimanne got out in between them.
In the morning, Ishant hadn’t had much luck with the one that slanted away across the bat’s face, but he bowled a much fuller length with the new ball and made the left-hander edge behind to Wriddhiman Saha.
Dinesh Chandimal was greeted by a vicious bouncer. Then, in a shot fraught with risk, he glided Ishant to the third-man boundary. A similar attempt resulted in his dismissal as he was caught at second slip by Rahul. Ishant’s spell read 6-0-30-2.
It was yet again left to Mathews to lift Sri Lanka. Playing the fulcrum isn’t new to him. When he reached his hundred with a brilliant reverse sweep and celebrated it with a violent roar, he seemed readying himself up.
Binny’s first Three balls later, though, he perished, caught by Vijay at slip off a hard-working Binny with score on 284. It was the bowler’s first Test wicket and after having been denied one owing to a no-ball the previous day, he cheekily glanced at the umpire before celebrating.
Amit Mishra was immediately brought on. It’s always a marvellous sight watching a leg-spinner bowl with drift and operate the old-fashioned way. He bowled Jehan Mubarak with a ball that slid through when the batsman thought he had covered for the turn. Prasad was winkled out after an edge to slip while Tharindu Kaushal was stumped off a wrong ’un.
Sri Lanka lost its last seven wickets for 65 runs, including the final five for 22.
Scoreboard
India 1st innings: 393 all out
Sri Lanka 1st innings: D Karunaratne lbw b Yadav 1; J Silva c Ashwin b Mishra 51; K Sangakkara c Rahane b Ashwin 32; L Thirimanne c Saha b I Sharma 62; A Mathews c Vijay b Binny 102; D Chandimal c Rahul b I Sharma 11; J Mubarak b Mishra 22; D Prasad c Rahane b Mishra 5; R Herath lbw b Ashwin 1; T Kaushal st Saha b Mishra 6; D Chameera not out 0. Extras (b 2, lb 6, nb 5) 13
Total (all out; 108 overs) 306 (2.83 runs per over)
Fall of wickets 1—1, 2—75), 3—114, 4—241, 5—259, 6—284, 7—289, 8—300, 9—306, 10—306
Bowling: I Sharma 21—3—68—2, U Yadav 19—5—67—1, S Binny 18—4—44—1, R Ashwin 29—3—76—2, A Mishra 21—3—43—4.
India 2nd innings: M Vijay not out 39; L Rahul b Prasad 2; A Rahane not out 28. Extras (w 1) 1
Total (1 wicket; 29.2 overs) 70 (2.38 runs per over)
Fall of wickets 1—3
Bowling: D Prasad 4—0—12—1, R Herath 11.2—3—23—0, D Chameera 4—0—14—0, A Mathews 2—1—1—0, T Kaushal 8—0—20—0.
