Ind vs SL, 1ST Test: Visitors staring at innings defeat as Ashwin bags two wickets to equal Kapil Dev (Tea, Day-3)

Mar 06, 2022

Mohali (Punjab) [India], March 6 : Hosts India are dictating terms against the visitors as the Lankans are tottering at 120 for 4 going into Tea trailing by 280 runs here at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Sunday.
Resuming the post lunch session at 10/1, Sri Lanka got off to a poor start losing Pathum Nissanka for six caught behind by wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant of Ravichandran Ashwin's bowling who bagged his 434th Test scalp equalling Kapil Dev's record and becoming India's second most successful Test bowler.
Jayant Yadav managed to get the outside edge of Angelo Mathews when he was batting on 1 but Virat Kohli dropped the catch in the slip.
Mohammed Shami was introduced into the attack and he dismissed Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne for 27 caught behind by Pant who took his second catch of the innings to leave visitors tottering at 45/3.
Dhananjaya de Silva and Angelo Mathews then struck a much-needed partnership but the 49-run stand was broken by Ravindra Jadeja who took his first wicket in 2nd innings and his sixth wicket in the match as Sri Lanka lost their fourth wicket for 94.
Charith Asalanka came in to bat after de Silva's dismissal and he played aggressively to score 20 runs in just 7 balls hitting two fours and two sixes as Sri Lanka went to Tea with 120 runs on board for the loss of 4 wickets trailing India by 280 runs.
Earlier, resuming Day 3 at 138/4 in the first innings, overnight batters Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka added 53 runs more to the total, and this saw Nissanka going past his half-century. India finally got the breakthrough in the 58th over as Jasprit Bumrah got the better of Asalanka (29).
Niroshan Dickwella (2) failed to impress with the bat and he managed to score just 2 before being sent to the pavilion by
In the same over, Jadeja removed Suranga Lakmal (0) and Sri Lanka was reduced to 164/7.
In the end, Sri Lanka was bundled out for 174, handing India a lead of 400 runs and the hosts enforced the follow-on. At lunch break on Day 3, Sri Lanka's score in the second innings read 10/1 -- still trailing by 390 runs. Dimuth Karunaratne (8*) and Pathum Nissanka (1*) are currently at the crease.
After being asked to follow on, Sri Lanka once again got off to bad start as the side lost opening batter Lahiru Thirimanne (0) in the third over of the innings. Dimuth Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka then ensured that the visitors do not lose any more wickets.
Brief Scores: India 574/8d; Sri Lanka 174 and 120/4 (F/O)(Dhananjaya de Silva 30, Angelo Mathews 27*; Ravichandran Ashwin 2-32).