On 1st day in 3rd test match between India and Srilanka , India puts 329 on scoreboard on loss of 6 wickets. After sealing the Test series against Sri Lanka with an innings victory in the second Test at Colombo, India came to the third Test today relaxed and confident, and things seemed to run off a script from the start just like the last two matches. Openers Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul got India off to a brisk start after winning the toss and electing to bat. Both openers got their half centuries by lunch, putting on 137 runs for no wicket in the first session. It was the seventh consecutive half century for KL Rahul, but he was in for another disappointment as he fell just 15 runs short of a century, offering an easy catch to Karunaratne at mid-on off Pushpkumara for the first break-through for the Lankans.
Dhawan got to his sixth Test century soon after Rahul’s dismissal, but Chandimal took a fine catch to dismiss him for 119. With two successive dismissals, the Sri Lankan bowlers stepped on the pressure and it yielded them Cheteshwar Pujara’s wicket, as he fell for Sandakan for 8 runs. Rahane and Virat Kohli tried to rebuild the innings, and helped Indian to 249 for three at the end of the second session. However, just like the last session, Pushpkumara got another breakthrough for the Lankans just as the momentum seemed to swinging back to the Indians, getting through the defences of Rahane to rattle his stumps for a third wicket in the innings.
Sandakan got a thick edge off Sandakan to fall for 42 in the last hour of the day, and was soon to be followed by Ashwin who fell for 31 after a stunner from wicketkeeper Dickwella off Fernando. At stumps, India were 329/6, having lost 3 wickets for 58 runs in a dodgy last session.
Sri Lanka will look to build on the comeback they have staged tomorrow, and will look to clean up the Indian tail before it can wag to the 500 mark. India, on the other hand, will be wondering where they went wrong after cruising at 188 for 0 at one stage.
India 1st Innings
Shikhar Dhawan c Chandimal b Pushpakumara 119
Lokesh Rahul c Karunaratne b Pushpakumara 85
Cheteshwar Pujara c Mathews b Sandakan 8
Virat Kohli c Karunaratne b Sandakan 42
Ajinkya Rahane b Pushpakumara 17
Ravichandran Ashwin c Dickwella b Vishwa Fernando 31
Wriddhiman Saha batting 13
Hardik Pandya batting 1
Extras 13 (b 6, lb 5, w 0, nb 2, p 0)
Total (in 90 overs) 329 for 6
Fall of Wickets: 188-1 (Lokesh Rahul, 39.3)
219-2 (Shikhar Dhawan, 47.1)
229-3 (Cheteshwar Pujara, 50.1)
264-4 (Ajinkya Rahane, 65.4)
296-5 (Virat Kohli, 78.2)
322-6 (Ravichandran Ashwin, 87.6)
Bowling: Vishwa Fernando 19-2-68-1,
Lahiru Kumara 15-1-67-0,
Dimuth Karunaratne 5-0-23-0,
Dilruwan Perera 8-1-36-0,
Lakshan Sandakan 25-2-84-2,
Malinda Pushpakumara 18-2-40-3.
