India vs Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Day 3 — As it happened...
It was all about Virat Kohli. The skipper established himself as one of the greats of the game, and he is only 29. On a record-breaking day, he became the first captain to hit 10 hundreds in a calendar year, then matches Brian Lara's record for most double tons by a skipper. These are some of the numbers, but he was pushing for a big win.
India reduced Sri Lanka to 21 for one in their second innings at Stumps on the third day. Lanka still trail India by 384 runs with nine wickets in hand.
Earlier, India declared their first innings at 610 for six, thus taking a 405-run lead over Sri Lanka in the first innings.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka: 205 All Out & 21/1 in 9 overs (Dimuth Karunaratne 11 not out, Lahiru Thirimanne 9 not out; Ishant Sharma 1/15).
India: 610/6 in 176.1 overs (Virat Kohli 213, Cheteshwar Pujara 143, Murali Vijay 128, Rohit Sharma 102 not out; Dilruwan Perera 3/202).
Over 9 || Score 21/1 (Dimuth Karunaratne 11; Lahiru Thirimanne 9)
India end the day with a lead of 348 runs. But Lankan batsmen Dimuth Karunaratne and Lahiru Thirimanne dig deep to avoid further damage even as India press hard for the second wicket.
Over 6 || Score 20/1 (Dimuth Karunaratne 11; Lahiru Thirimanne 9)
What a start from Indian bowlers. Ishant Sharma cleans up Samarawickrama, with the ball clipping the bail even as the Lanka opener tried to leave the ball.
Wicket: Samarawickrama b Ishant 0(2)
That happened off the second ball of the innings. Lahiru Thirimanne is the new man for Lanka.
After 6 overs, Lanka still trail by 385 runs.
Over 174 || Score 610/6 (Rohit Sharma 102; Wriddhiman Saha 1)
Rohit Sharma hits his third Test hundred, and first in fours years with a three off the first ball of 177th over. Then Virat Kohli declares India's innings.
India lead by 405 runs.
Over 174 || Score 597/6 (Rohit Sharma 90; Wriddhiman Saha 0)
Finally, Virat Kohli departs.
Kohli goes for a lofted shot over the bowler's head, but ends up offering a catch at long-on.
Wicket: Virat Kohli c Thirimanne b Dilruwan Perera 213 (267).
It happened off the fifth ball of the 170th over.
Thus ended a 173-run fifth-wicket stand with Rohit Sharma. Then, the new Ravichandran Ashwin lasts only 14 deliveries.
Watch: R Ashwin b Dilruwan Perera 5 (14)
It happened off the fifth ball of 174th over. 52 runs and two wickets in last ten overs. Wriddhiman Saha is the new man. India's lead is 392 runs.
Over 168 || Score 567/4 (Virat Kohli 200; Rohit Sharma 78)
Fifth Test double hundred for Virat Kohli. He now equals Brain Lara's record for the most double hundreds by a captain.
Kohli takes a single off the fifth ball of the 168th over, bowled by Dilruwan Perera to reach the landmark. His fifth-wicket stand with Rohit Sharma is now worth 157, and India add another 56 runs in the last ten overs.
Over 160 || Score 522/4 (Virat Kohli 178; Rohit Sharma 55)
Virat Kohli is 22 runs away from his fifth double hundred.
India add another 30 runs in the last ten overs, and the lead is now 317 runs. Lankans are wilting.
Over 157 || Score 507/4 (Virat Kohli 170; Rohit Sharma 51)
Tea!
India lead Lanka by 302 runs with more than two days' play left the match. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma already added 97 runs for the fifth-wicket stand, with 27 of those coming in the last ten overs.
For Lanka, it's another long day in the field. Toiling hard without much success.
Over 150 || Score 489/4 (Virat Kohli 162; Rohit Sharma 44)
Another good partnership for India with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma adding 79 runs in 122 balls. India's lead approaches the 300-run mark.
Over 140 || Score 455/4 (Virat Kohli 152; Rohit Sharma 20)
Virat Kohli brings up his 150 with a six over long-on. Eight runs from Dilruwan Perera's 32nd over, and India's lead in 250 runs now.
Kohli has faced 196 balls, and hit 14 fours and a one six.
Over 139 || Score 447/4 (Virat Kohli 144; Rohit Sharma 19)
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma add another 37 runs for the fifth-wicket stand as India's lead approaches 250-run mark.
In the last ten overs, India scored 39 runs.
Over 130 || Score 414/4 (Virat Kohli 127; Rohit Sharma 4)
Ajinkya Rahane's poor run of form continues. A simple delivery from Dilruwan Perera and he hits straight to Dimuth Karunaratne at backward point.
Wicket: Ajinkya Rahane c Dimuth Karunaratne b Dilruwan Perera 2(15)
That happened off the fourth ball of the 130th over, and Rohit Sharma is the new man for India, and hits the first ball he faced for a four.
India lose two wickets in the last ten overs, adding 37 runs.
India's lead is now 209.
Over 127 || Score 404/3 (Virat Kohli 123; Ajinkya Rahane 0)
Lunch! Absolute dominance so far from India. India go to lunch with a lead of 199 runs.
Over 125 || Score 399/3 (Virat Kohli 118; Ajinkya Rahane 0)
Finally a wicket for Sri Lanka. Cheteswhar Pujara yorks himself and Dasun Shanaka celebrates. Thus ended a 183-run stand between Pujara and Virat Kohli.
Wicket: Cheteshwar Pujara b Dasun Shanaka 143(362)
That happened off the fifth ball of the 125th over. Ajinkya Rahane is the new man for India. India's lead is now 194.
Over 119 || Score 373/2 (Cheteshwar Pujara 136; Virat Kohli 100)
Yet another hundred for Virat Kohli. A single off the fifth ball of the 119th over, bowled by Suranga Lakmal. 19th in Test, and 10th in 2017. Best of the lot, for a captain.
Over 111 || Score 345/2 (Cheteshwar Pujara 130; Virat Kohli 78)
India's lead now worth 140 as Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli continue to frustrate the Lankans. In the last ten overs, India scored 27 runs. The third-wicket stand is
129 off 214 balls.
Over 105 || Score 328/2 (Cheteshwar Pujara 122; Virat Kohli 69)
First run for Cheteshwar Pujara today with a single off the fifth ball of the 105th over. He's expectedly quiet.
India's lead is now 123 runs, and the third-wicket stand is worth 112 off 177 balls. 16 of those came today, with Kohli scoring 15.
Over 99 || Score 312/2 (Cheteshwar Pujara 121; Virat Kohli 54)
A maiden over from Lahiru Gamage to start the day. Cheteshwar Puajara happy to block all six deliveries. It will be a long day for the visiting team with India out to consolidate their lead.
Here's a close look at the pitch on Day 3 of the 2nd Test. Thoughts? #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/tiL7VR1BzV
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 26, 2017
Day 2 Recap
Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara systematically punished Lankan bowling attack and help India take a good lead of 107 runs at the end second day's play. Lanka managed only 205 runs in their first innings.
Vijay, who was playing his first Test match in eight months, hit 128 while Pujara was unbeaten on 121 in Nagpur as India piled 312/2. Tamil Nadu opener was the lone wicket to fall yesterday.
The arrival of Virat Kohli in the centre helped India increase the scoring rate, the skipper looked in a punishing mood. He and Pujara already added 99 runs for the third wicket partnership, with Kohli contributing 54.
Earlier, Pujara and Vijay added 209 runs for the second wicket to set a platform from where India would look to bat the Islanders out of the contest.
