India took firm grip over the second Test after Sri Lanka slumped to 50/2 at stumps on Day 2 after the visitors declared on an imposing 622/9 at the SSC in Colombo.
Resuming on 344/3, India piled on the runs on Day 2. In the morning session, Wriddhiman Saha and Ravindra Jadeja picked up from where Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane had left off. Both brought up half-centuries to help the side declare on 622/9.
R Ashwin was the wrecker-in-chief when India came on the field. He sent back both the Sri Lanka openers to leave their chase in tatters.
As it happened:
5.02 pm: At stumps, Sri Lanka 50/2 in 20 overs (Mendis 16*, Chandimal 8*; Ashwin 2/38, Jadeja 0/4)
Sri Lanka have their task cut out in Colombo. The ball is spinning viciously and they have already lost two wickets. India’s spinners exploited the conditions well with Ashwin leading the charge.
4.35 pm: WICKET! Ashwin gets another one. Karunaratne departs for 25.
The batsman was looking out of his depth since marking his crease. Ashwin finally put him out of his misery with a delightfully floated delivery. Karunaratne was late in reaching the pitch of the ball and edge it to Rahane in the slip. Sri Lanka 39/2.
4.32 pm: India waste a review. Jadeja beats Mendis. There is impact, but it was outside the off stump. Kohli, though, went ahead and asked for a review, which duly went in the batsman’s favour. Sri Lanka 29/1 (Karunaratne 23*, Kusal Mendis 6*; Ashwin 1/20, Jadeja 0/2).
4.27 pm: Karunaratne is swinging the bat at everything. He’s got a boundary in so far. Ashwin & Co, understandably, not fretting over it much. Sri Lanka 25/1 (Karunaratne 19*, Kusal Mendis 6*; Ashwin 1/16, Jadeja 0/2).
4.20 pm: Spinners from both ends now. Ashwin and Jadeja bowling in tandem. The ball is turning square and beating the bat more often than not. Sri Lanka 18/1 (Ashwin 4-1-11-1).
3.55 pm: WICKET! Sri Lanka 0/1.
Kohli brings Ashwin on in the second over and he strikes right away. Tahranga is caught by KL Rahul at Short-leg trying play it through the gaps on the on-side. India celebrate it with some “dabs” from Rahul and Kohli.
Tharanga, who was run-out by the close in fielder in the first Test, once again lost his wicket thanks to the alert fielding. This time it KL Rahul who brought his downfall. Tharanga placed the ball straight into Rahul’s body. The India opener, who was standing at forward short leg took the blow, but did well to hold on.
3.50 pm: Virat Kohli gives his team a lengthy pep talk in the huddle as they take the field. India have a firm grip on the game so far. Their batsmen sent the hosts on a leather hunt, can Sri Lanka return the favour? we’ll find out soon.
3.45 pm: Fun fact! Among the batsmen, Virat Kohli with 13 runs has the lowest tally. Only Umesh Yadav with 8* finished with fewer, but it was the skipper who forced it with the declaration. Sneaky?
3.40 pm: India declare on 622/9
India have piled on the runs on Day 2. Jadeja blasted his way to a half-century before taking India past the 600-run mark. Sri Lanka have 20 overs to contend with today. Will be tricky, but they have a mountain to climb anyway. (Jadeja 70*, Umesh 8*).
3.36 pm: Kohli signals Jadeja to stay on for another over at least. Or at least that is what we can interpret from the visuals of the skipper. India 617/9 (Jadeja 70*, Umesh 3*).
3.24 pm: India have now put up 600! (Jadeja 59*, Umesh 0*)
The runs are piling on. The Sri Lankan players have been taking a good hard look the cracks on the wicket each time they cross it.
3.24 pm: WICKET! Shami comes and goes. he scored a quickfire 19 off just 8 balls.
He came, he saw and left after smashing one boundary and two sixes. Herath now taken four out of the nine wickets to have fallen till now. India 598/9 (Jadeja 54*).
3.16 pm: Fifty for Jadeja!
The Saurashtra batsman is unfazed by Saha’s departure. He continues to let the runs flow. Reaches the landmark in style. This is the second time that six of India’s batsmen have scored half-centuries in the same innings in a Test overseas. India 579/8.
3.12 pm: WICKET! Saha departs for 67!
Herath beats Saha with the turn, the India batsman is drawn crease as the ball passes the outside edge. Dickwella does the needful to dislodge the bails in time. India 568/8.
3.06 pm: India 563/7 (Jadeja 40*, Saha 66*)
Jadeja near his 50 as India pick up from where they had left off. Saha has already sent one for a six. The intentions quite evident.
3.01 pm: The players are walking back on to the field after the Tea break. Saha and Jadeja will resume their stand.
2.42 pm: At Tea, India 553/7 (Saha 59*, Jadeja 37*)
The duo have shared more than fifty runs so far for the eighth wicket. They are doing it with ease at the moment. The million dollar question, though, is how much more will India score before declaring. The wicket is turning quite a bit and they have the fire-power to make most of it.
2.15 pm: And Wriddhiman Saha gets to his 50. Fifth batsman in this Indian innings to get to 50. Measured knock from the keeper. Ravindra Jadeja celebrates with a six over mid-wicket. India 525/7.
1.31 pm: Hardik Pandya is out. Tossed up very slowly from Pushpakumara, floated up. Pandya went after him but toed it to Angelo Mathews at long-off. He is gone for 20. India are 496/7.
Isn’t he always upset?
That was some dexterity from umpire Rod Tucker.
1.18 pm: Sri Lanka have now wasted two reviews and both their reviews are gone. Herath had one off Saha, Pushpakumara had one off Pandya. But both given not out and the decision remained on review. India 474/6.
Ashwin The Boss
12.50 pm: Gone! Ashwin gets to his 50 with a six and then gets bowled by Herath. Sri Lanka get an early break after lunch. Can they make it count? India 451/6.
12.05 pm: Lunch. Two wickets for Sri Lanka in that session but India won’t be too perturbed. Pujara and Rahane were dismissed, but Ashwin’s solid unbeaten 47 has taken them close to 450 and set them up for a final assault. India 442/5.
11.25 am: First Test wicket for Pushpakumara. Rahane wants to come out and send him into orbit. Wild swing, he misses, Dickwella takes off the bails behind the stumps. India 413/5.
11.03 am: The partnership is 50. The 400 comes up. Sri Lanka have let go of another opportunity to put some pressure on. Rahane and Ashwin currently strolling. India 400/4.
Making a century is tough. Watching your husband make one...even tougher.
10.35 am: Ashwin, the new batsman, has been a little edgy so far. Played a few aerial shots so far. Kusal Mendis has received another blow at short-leg. India are 370/4.
10.10 am: Pujara goes, Sri Lanka strike early! Karunaratne, the medium-pacer gets his first Test wicket. Raps Pujara in front, umpire says not out. Sri Lanka review and he is gone for 133. India 350/4.
9.45 am: When the going gets tough, who do these men in the Indian cricket team call? The crisis masters, of course. Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane.
“It’s the little things that can make or break major pursuits. In cricket, it takes very little to trigger a batting collapse. Like the Bengaluru match five months ago, India stood at a precarious position in Colombo. A wicket or two at the stage would have changed the complexion of the game.
While the situation was not as dire, it needed a couple of calm heads to find a solution. Not only did they dig India out of trouble, they were soon dominating the proceedings.”
But amidst all that, you can’t forget the importance of being Ajinkya Rahane.
“That number – five – is key. It signifies the confidence within this Indian team that five full-time batsmen are enough to do the job. It is about responsibility of scoring tall and putting big runs on the board to provide a cushion for your bowling attack. It is the requisite for a five-pronged bowling attack, and when this decision was made long ago, parameters like conditions and opponents were thrown out of the window.”
And, by the way, the biggest transfer in world football has been confirmed! Wowza.
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