NEW DELHI, Dec 3: Skipper Virat Kohli�s magnificent 243 was overshadowed by unprecedented scenes of mask-wearing Sri Lankan players, who halted proceedings thrice, complaining of poor air quality, on day two of the third Test, here.
The unrelenting Lankans forced India to declare their first innings at 536 for seven as drama unfolded in the post-lunch session during which play was halted for 26 minutes due to pollution concerns.
However, the visiting batsmen had no complaints about air quality when they came out to bat after India�s declaration.
A fired-up Indian attack reduced them to 131 for three at stumps and they are still trailing by a massive 406-run margin.
It could have been worse had Kohli not dropped Angelo Mathews� regulation catch at second slip off Ishant Sharma. Ishant (1/44), Mohammed Shami (1/30) and Ravindra Jadeja (1/24) shared the spoils as the visiting batsmen continued to struggle in negotiating the Indian attack.
Mathews (57 batting) and Chandimal (25 batting) added 56 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket stand.
It appeared to be another day of dominance for the Indian team with their skipper breaking many a records but the antics by the visitors spoiled Kohli�s party.
With their below-par bowling being sent on a leatherhunt, Sri Lankan team seemed to disturb the rhythm of the Indian batsmen by halting the play which was evidently not appreciated by the hosts.
It is not the first time that an Indian team had to declare their innings due to compulsion though 40 years back, circumstances were vastly different.
In 1976 at Kingston (Jamaica), Michael Holding and Wayne Daniel�s �beamer ball tactic� had left the Indian top-order injured.
India were 87 for 5 in their second innings, leading by only 12 runs when skipper Bishan Singh Bedi had to declare the innings fearing that Holding would injure his tail-enders.
Sunil Gavaskar�s iconic autobiography �Sunny Days� has a chapter named �Barbarism at Kingston� referring to Holding�s intimidating tactics.
Before the unfolding of the drama, it was a walk in the park for Kohli, who scored his sixth double hundred and became the first captain to score six Test double tons, eclipsing West Indies legend Brian Lara, who had five. � PTI
SCORECARD
India 1st innings
(Overnight 371/4):
Vijay st Dickwella b Sandakan 155
Dhawan c Lakmal b Perera 23
Pujara c Sadeera b Gamage 23
Kohli lbw b Sandakan 243
Rahane st Dickwella b Sandakan 1
Rohit c Dickwella b Sandakan 65
Ashwin c Perera b Gamage 4
Saha not out 9
Jadeja not out 5
Extras: (LB-1, NB-7) 8
Total: (For 7 wickets decl) 536
Fall of wickets: 1-42, 2-78, 3-361, 4-365, 5-500, 6-519, 7-523.
Bowling: S Lakmal 21.2-2-80-0, L Gamage 25.3-7-95-2, D Perera 31.1-0-145-1, L Sandakan 33.5-1-167-4, D de Silva 16-0-48-0.
sri lanka 1st innings:
Karunaratne c Saha b M Shami 0
Perera lbw b R Jadeja 42
De Silva lbw b I Sharma 1
Mathews batting 57
Chandimal batting 25
Extras: (NB-1, PEN-5) 6
Total (For 3 wickets) 131
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-14, 3-75.
Bowling: M Shami 11-3-30-1, I Sharma 10-4-44-1, R Jadeja 14.3-6-24-1, R Ashwin 9-3-28-0.
