March 5
India In Control Of 1st Test Match Against Sri Lanka
With Ravindra Jadeja‘s career-best 175, India scored 574/8 against Sri Lanka on day two of the first Test at the IS Bindra PCA Stadium on Saturday. Further, the bowlers did their duty and Sri Lanka could score only 108 runs after loosing 4 wickets at the end of day 2. Sri Lanka is now trailing 466 runs.
In the day 2 of first test match, India began on 357/6 with Ravindra Jadeja (45*) and R Ashwin (10*) at the crease. Jadeja soon brought up his 18th Test fifty with a four through sweeper cover. Ashwin too soon found his rhythm and started emulating Jadeja’s aggressive streak. He soon brought up his 12th Test half-century; the duo’s stand also crossing the 100-run mark.
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The fledgling partnership was finally broken by Suranga Lakmal when he bounced out Ashwin, who miscued a pull, top-edging one to the keeper on 61.
Just before Lunch was called, Jadeja brought up his second Test hundred as India closed the morning session on 468/7.
In one Embuldeniya over, Jadeja smashed a six and two fours to take India past 500. A confident six over mid-off brought up Jadeja’s 150 and he soon pushed past Kapil Dev’s record of the highest score by an Indian at No.7 in men’s Tests. With Jadeja at 175* and his stand with Mohammad Shami nearly 100, India declared their innings on 574/8.
Sri Lanka opened with captain Dimuth Karunaratne and Lahiru Thirimanne. With two left-handers on the crease.
Ashwin came up with the first breakthrough, dismissing Thirimanne leg before wicket on 17 (60). As new batter Pathum Nissanka joined captain Karunaratne in the middle, skipper Rohit Sharma quickly brought Mohammed Shami into the attack.
Nissanka was all at sea when Ashwin bowled to him, but he soon got a breather as Ashwin had been up for a long spell.
Jadeja in his second delivery, caught captain Dimuth on the backfoot, dismissing him for 28.
Next, Bumrah the experienced Angelo Mathews (22) in front of the wicket, reducing Sri Lanka to 96/3.
Another change of bowling brought in another wicket for India, as Ashwin struck. Dhananjaya de Silva perished to his pre-meditated sweep shot, getting dismissed on 1. However, Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka managed to end the day without losing any more wickets. Sri Lanka ended day two on 108/4, trailing by 466 runs.
