India leave Sri Lanka reeling

Galle : India’s bowlers tore through the Sri Lankan top order to put the visitors firmly on top on the second day of the first Test in Galle yesterday.

Paceman Mohammed Shami picked two wickets in the same over and Umesh Yadav got rid of opener Dimuth Karunaratne after India posted a commanding 600 all out, their biggest total in Sri Lanka.

Former captain Angelo Mathews was batting on 54 with Dilruwan Perera on six when stumps were drawn for the day, with Sri Lanka still trailing by 446 runs with five wickets in hand.

Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, who struck a solid 153, said he was pleased that India had lived up to its billing as the number one Test side in the world.

“We would like to maintain that standard. We have scored enough runs, and we’ve got five wickets today. We are very well poised at this stage.

“I think the key for us, even in the last season, was that we’ve bowled really well. Our bowlers are bowling good lines and lengths,” he said referring to India’s 10 wins in the last 13 Tests.

Sri Lankan opener Upul Tharanga struck a defiant 64 off 93 balls but was run out thanks to a quick piece of fielding by Abhinav Mukund.

Mukund, fielding at silly point, also took a fine one-handed catch off Ravichandran Ashwin to send back Niroshan Dickwella (eight) and reduce the hosts to a shaky 143-5.

Yadav gave his side an early breakthrough after the Indian lower-order batsmen scored at a quick pace despite losing wickets at regular intervals. 

Yadav had Karunaratne trapped leg before and although the batsman went for a review, the decision was upheld after replays showed the ball pitching on the middle stump.

Shami, making his Test comeback after an injury layoff, then dismissed debutant Danushka Gunathilaka for 16 and Kusal Mendis for a duck in the space of four balls. 

SCOREBOARD

India 1st innings (overnight 399-3):

S. Dhawan c Mathews b Pradeep190    

A. Mukund c Dickwella b Pradeep12

C. Pujara c Dickwella b Pradeep153      

V. Kohli  c Dickwella b Pradeep      3

A. Rahane c Karunaratne b Kumara 57

R. Ashwin c Dickwella b Pradeep47

W. Saha c Perera b Herath  16

H. Pandya c sub (de Silva) b Kumara50

R. Jadeja b Pradeep15 

M. Shami c Tharanga b Kumara30

U. Yadav not out 11

Extras (w6, nb3, lb5, b2)16

Total (all out; 133.1 overs)600

Sri Lanka 1st innings:

D. Karunaratne lbw b Yadav       2

U. Tharanga run out             64

D. Gunathilaka c Dhawan b Shami 16

A. Mendis c Dhawan b Shami       0

A. Mathews not out              54

N. Dickwella c Mukund b Ashwin   8

D. Perera not out                6

Extras (w1, lb3)                 4

Total (for 5 wkts, 44 overs)   154