Galle, Aug 17 (IANS) India’s spinners ripped through Sri Lanka’s top order with a devastating display of spin bowling as the visitors reduced the hosts to 99/5 in 28 overs at lunch on day three of the first Test at the Galle International Stadium on Monday.
It was a session where six wickets fell – five of which were of Sri Lanka. Every move made by India went in their favour. Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar underlined his promise by trapping Sri Lankan batters in a trap of turn and bounce while hitting the right length to pick 2-17.
Kuldeep Yadav made a bright start by picking a scalp, while Ravindra Jadeja showed his effectiveness on a turning track by getting a wicket, and Mohammed Siraj struck in the very first over. Sri Lanka, still trailing by 363 runs, have reached the lunch interval with Niroshan Dickwella unbeaten on eight alongside Sonal Dinusha, who’s not out on 13. But they still face a steep climb to avoid the follow-on.
Having seen their own first innings wrapped up inside four balls for 462 earlier in the morning, after Asitha Fernando took out Prasidh Krishna, India’s bowlers immediately went to work and needed just two deliveries to break Sri Lanka’s opening stand.
Siraj struck with a classic outswinger and induced an edge from Nishan Madushka to have him caught at first slip and send the opener back for a duck. After that, the Indian spin troika of Suthar, Kuldeep and Jadeja took complete control on a pitch offering sharp turn and bounce.
Suthar made an instant impact by striking with his very first delivery – drawing Dinesh Chandimal forward with an immaculate piece of drift and spin and catch the glove edge, with Rishabh Pant completing a sharp catch behind the stumps. Suthar continued to press and built pressure with relentless accuracy and dismissed Lahiru Udara for 27, after he mistimed a cut off a bouncing and turning delivery to give a simple catch to backward point.
At 53/3, Sri Lanka needed a partnership to stabilise their innings, but Indian captain Shubman Gill produced a moment of brilliance in the field to dent the hosts further. Diving full length to his left at short extra cover, Gill plucked a stunning one-handed catch inches above the turf to dismiss Kamindu Mendis for 14 on Kuldeep’s bowling.
Jadeja then joined in to complete a dominant display in the first session just three minutes before the lunch break. Operating with a tight stump-to-stump line, Jadeja extracted sharp turn to catch the outside edge of Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva (21), with KL Rahul diving low at first slip to complete the catch and get another session in India’s favour.
Brief Scores: India 462 in 116.4 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 167, KL Rahul 82; Prabath Jayasuriya 4-109, Keshara Nuwantha 3-175) lead Sri Lanka 99/5 in 28 overs (Lahiru Udara 27, Dhananjaya de Silva 21; Manav Suthar 2-17, Ravindra Jadeja 1-6) by 363 runs
–IANS
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