August 30, 2015
India 312 (Pujara 145*, Mishra 59, Prasad 4-100) and 21 for 3 (Pradeep 2-6) lead Sri Lanka 201 (Perera 55, Herath 49, Ishant 5-54) by 132 runs
Ishant Sharma celebrating with the team after dismissing Upul Tharanga, Sri Lanka v India, 3rd Test, SSC, Colombo, 3rd day, August 30, 2015
August 30, 2015
India 312 (Pujara 145*, Mishra 59, Prasad 4-100) and 21 for 3 (Pradeep 2-6) lead Sri Lanka 201 (Perera 55, Herath 49, Ishant 5-54) by 132 runs
Ishant Sharma celebrating with the team after dismissing Upul Tharanga, Sri Lanka v India, 3rd Test, SSC, Colombo, 3rd day, August 30, 2015
COLOMBO – Sri Lanka's batsmen failed once again but their bowlers helped them stage a remarkable fightback – first by adding some vital runs and then by striking quick blows – against India on the third day of the third and final Test in Colombo on Sunday (August 30).
After conceding a lead of 111, Sri Lanka's pacers sent panic waves through the Indian line-up with early strikes to reduce them to 7 for 3 before Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma took India to 21 for 3, an overall lead of 132, before rain forced stumps to be taken early.
Dhammika Prasad, who had battled a bruised finger to add a crucial 23-ball 27 with the bat, took just two balls to get through the defence of Cheteshwar Pujara (0), the centurion in India's first innings. Nuwan Pradeep backed up Prasad's gritty show with two more strikes. KL Rahul (2) was first dismissed in the same way as in the first innings – shouldering arms to one that moved in and finding his off stump hit. Ajinkya Rahane started with a boundary but followed the openers soon after when he missed a straight delivery angling towards his pads and was trapped lbw.
Earlier, India’s first innings ended on 312 with Pujara (145 not out) carrying his bat through and Sri Lanka seemed down and out at 47 for 6 at one stage, Ishant Sharma accounting for four of the wickets and Stuart Binny two. But, as they had in Galle, they fought with every resource available and reduced the deficit before being bowled out – Ishant ended with 5 for 54.
Courtesy: Wisden India
