A couple of wickets by Ravindra Jadeja at the fag end of the fourth day has put India firmly in command of the proceedings of the third Test in Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla. At the close of day four, the visitors were 31 for 3, needing an improbable 379 on the final day to draw the series.
Chasing a mammoth 410 to register their first-ever Test in India, the Islanders were off to a cautious start with Dimuth Karunaratne and Sadeera Samarawickrama seeing off more than 5 overs. However, just when it looked the duo would help the Islanders close the day on a good note, Mohammad Shami bowled a vicious short ball to send back Samarawickrama.
India then further strengthened its grip on the game when Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Karunaratne and night watchman Suranga Lakmal in quick succession. Angelo Mathews and de Silva would resume action with bat on the final day.
Earlier, fifties from Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma helped India to recover from a shaky start to post 246 for 5 before declaring. India were in a spot of bother after being reduced to 29 for 2 before a 77-run stand between Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara calmed down the nerves in the dressing room. The duo was scoring at a brisk pace before Dhananjaya de Silva broke the stand by sending back Pujara for 49.
Kohli (50 off 58) and Rohit Sharma (50 off 49) then struck quick fifties to help India set an improbable target of 409 runs.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, had begun the proceedings with the bat on day four with the scoreboard reading 356 for 9. With just one wicket remaining, Dinesh Chandimal took his chances and was the last man out for the visitors after playing a sublime knock of 164. The Islanders could manage to add only 17 runs to their overnight score before their captain was dismissed by Ishant Sharma.
Here is how Twitter reacted to the day’s play:
More than the ball, I think the Sri Lankan players are worried about not being able to see each other whenever visibility gets a little low. #INDvSL
— The Lying Lama 2.0 (@KyaUkhaadLega) December 5, 2017
Mohammed Shami, in case you missed the 23,748 times I've said it before, is a proper fast bowler. Two utterly brutal bouncers, one after another.
— Karthik Krishnaswamy (@the_kk) December 5, 2017
Mohammad Shami is breathing fire at the Kotla. Those two balls to Sadeera could've put Khaleesi's dragons to shame. #IndvSL
— Jatin Sapru (@jatinsapru) December 5, 2017
If it's not Rohit's century, Rohit's half century decides when they declare.#INDvSL
— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) December 5, 2017
Rahane’s form this series, should give both Virat Kohli and Karun Nair plenty to think about. #INDvSL
— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) December 5, 2017
Dhawan at less than 3 an over!
Pujara at more than 5 an over!
What is world coming to?
After the warning of a cyclonic storm hitting Gujarat shores by midnight?— Jose Puliampatta (@JosePuliampatta) December 5, 2017
We may mock Sri Lankan players as much as we want but at the end of the day, we ourselves know what’s the situation like, in Delhi, sorry Pollutionistan. #INDvSL
— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) December 5, 2017
https://twitter.com/Cric_Lama/status/937910401756360705?
Rahane's too good a player to be slogging his way out. #INDvSL
— Sahil Jain (@sahildj96) December 5, 2017
Pictorial proof, that Cricket is boring when the opponent is Sri Lanka pic.twitter.com/3nDeW39IA7
— Arun Lol (@dhaikilokatweet) December 5, 2017