Photo: Meta
Mohali, March 6: After a career-best 175 with the bat, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja bagged a five-wicket haul as India dismissed Sri Lanka for 174 in 65 overs on day three of the first Test at the IS Bindra PCA Stadium.
After imposing the follow-on over Sri Lanka, Ravichandran Ashwin took out Lahiru Thirimanne for duck as the visitors limped to 10/1 in four overs at lunch, still trailing by 390 runs. The start to the day wasn't rosy for India as Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka frustrated the hosts' bowling attack. Moreover, Asalanka and Nissanka were given reprieves in different overs of Ashwin.
While Asalanka's catch was shelved by Rohit Sharma at short cover, Shreyas Iyer at deep mid-wicket couldn't hold on to a chance from Nissanka. Nissanka was troubled by Ashwin but outside of it, the batter fought his way to reach his fifth half-century in Test cricket. Asalanka, despite being bamboozled on many occasions, gave Nissanka good support with boundaries through leg-side off Ashwin.
The 58-run partnership between Nissanka and Asalanka came to an end when Jasprit Bumrah's slower ball from round the wicket deceived the latter, trapping him lbw. Captain Sharma reviewed the original decision to reverse it in India's favour as replays showed ball hitting top of middle-stump. From there onwards, Sri Lanka's batting went downhill as Jadeja ran through the lower order.
Two overs after Asalanka fell, Jadeja struck twice in the same over, taking out Niroshan Dickwella and Suranga Lakmal by luring them to play rash shots and hole out to square leg and mid-off respectively. But Nissanka continued to march forward with two leg-side boundaries off him.
Mohammed Shami took out Lasith Embuldeniya with a snorter of a bouncer which took the edge of the bat to short leg. Jadeja then got his 10th five-for in Tests by taking out Vishwa Fernando and Lahiru Kumara on back-to-back balls, becoming just the sixth player in Test history to score above 150 and take a five-wicket haul in the same match.
Nissanka remained unbeaten on 61 as India enforced the follow-on.
In the visitors' second essay, Ashwin struck first as Thirimanne was caught by Sharma at first slip to increase India's domination in the match in a session which yielded seven wickets for 76 runs.
Brief Scores: India 574/8 dec in 129.2 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 175 not out, Rishabh Pant 96; Lasith Embuldeniya 2/188, Suranga Lakmal 2/90) lead Sri Lanka 174 all out in 65 overs (Pathum Nissanka 61 not out, Charith Asalanka 29; Ravindra Jadeja 5/41, Jasprit Bumrah 2/36) and 10/1 in four overs, by 390 runs.
