IND vs SL: Twitter Reacts As Dimuth Karunaratne Becomes Only 3rd Lankan Captain To Score Century In India

Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne showed some fighting spirit en route to a stunning century on a difficult batting surface at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Monday.

Karunaratne started off with his overnight partner, Kusal Mendis, and put on 97 runs for the second wicket. The latter did the bulk of the scoring while Karunaratne hung around. Mendis even reached his fifty before being outfoxed by milestone-man, Ravichandran Ashwin.

The wicket caused a mini-collapse soon after as India regained control of the Test match. Karunaratne could only watch from the other end as his hapless teammates were being dismissed one after another by the Indian spin-trio.

It didn’t affect him, not one bit. With an eye on putting up a fight in what has been a one-sided series, Karunaratne slowly began taking the initiative and he soon began piling up the runs at will.

First, he thrived in the company of Niroshan Dickwella and then alongside Lasith Embuldeniya. Karunaratne ensured that his team stayed in the fight and brought up his 14th Test century, which is the second-highest among Sri Lankan openers.

It is also his second in day-night matches, only one behind Australian batter, Marnus Labuschagne. Notably, it is also the third instance of a Lankan captain scoring a century on Indian soil.

Expectedly, Twitter was quite abuzz with the performance of the Lankan skipper and they appreciated him for putting up a sturdy fight on a tough Bengaluru surface. It is also the first occasion in four attempts where Sri Lanka has managed to cross the 200-run mark.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to Dimuth Karunaratne’s century:

One of the finest hundreds you will ever see .. Well done @<!---->I<!---->a<!---->m<!---->D<!---->i<!---->m<!---->u<!---->t<!---->h Simply brilliant #<!---->I<!---->n<!---->d<!---->v<!---->s<!---->l Congratulations ???

— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) M<!---->a<!---->r<!---->c<!---->h<!----> <!---->1<!---->4<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->2

Extraordinary 100 by @<!---->I<!---->a<!---->m<!---->D<!---->i<!---->m<!---->u<!---->t<!---->h on a pitch that was incredibly difficult. Class and temperament. Well done

— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2) M<!---->a<!---->r<!---->c<!---->h<!----> <!---->1<!---->4<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->2

Solid ? on this turning track by an overseas batter. #<!---->d<!---->i<!---->m<!---->u<!---->t<!---->h<!---->k<!---->a<!---->r<!---->u<!---->n<!---->a<!---->r<!---->a<!---->t<!---->n<!---->e ?

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) M<!---->a<!---->r<!---->c<!---->h<!----> <!---->1<!---->4<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->2

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???????? ????

Drop some ? for Dimuth Karunaratne's resilient ?!#<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D<!---->v<!---->S<!---->L | @<!---->I<!---->a<!---->m<!---->D<!---->i<!---->m<!---->u<!---->t<!---->h p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->0<!---->q<!---->a<!---->V<!---->s<!---->T<!---->Y<!---->F<!---->P<!---->C

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) M<!---->a<!---->r<!---->c<!---->h<!----> <!---->1<!---->4<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->2

Virat Kohli applauding for the fantastic hundred from Dimuth Karunaratne. Nice gesture from Kohli. p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->g<!---->W<!---->j<!---->3<!---->e<!---->J<!---->S<!---->I<!---->2<!---->Z

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) M<!---->a<!---->r<!---->c<!---->h<!----> <!---->1<!---->4<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->2

The Chinnaswamy erupts for Dimuth Karunaratne.

On this pitch, against this attack, that's a fourth-innings hundred of the very highest quality. p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->t<!---->y<!---->3<!---->D<!---->I<!---->Q<!---->L<!---->i<!---->y<!---->8

— Andrew Fidel Fernando (@afidelf) M<!---->a<!---->r<!---->c<!---->h<!----> <!---->1<!---->4<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->2

Dimuth Karunaratne is the first opener to score a century in the fourth innings of a D/N Test.

Dimuth Karunaratne is the first captain to score a century in the fourth innings of a D/N Test.#<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D<!---->v<!---->S<!---->L

— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) M<!---->a<!---->r<!---->c<!---->h<!----> <!---->1<!---->4<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->2

Hundred for Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne – 103* from 166 balls including 14 fours. Well played, Dimuth. A fighting 4th innings hundred against Ashwin – Axar – Jadeja – Shami – Bumrah.

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) M<!---->a<!---->r<!---->c<!---->h<!----> <!---->1<!---->4<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->2

Only four captains have scored a century in fourth inns of Test match in India:

Viv Richards at Delhi in 1987
Mark Taylor at Bengaluru in 1998
Younis Khan at Kolkata in 2007
DIMUTH KARUNARATNE at Bengaluru in 2022

India didn't win any of those matches, could win today. #<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D<!---->v<!---->S<!---->L

— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) M<!---->a<!---->r<!---->c<!---->h<!----> <!---->1<!---->4<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->2

Dimuth Karunaratne #<!---->i<!---->c<!---->c ranked number 8 batsman #<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D<!---->v<!---->S<!---->L excellent century. p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->4<!---->H<!---->x<!---->m<!---->6<!---->b<!---->X<!---->c<!---->Q<!---->J

— Rashid Latif ?? (@iRashidLatif68) M<!---->a<!---->r<!---->c<!---->h<!----> <!---->1<!---->4<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->2

Take a bow 'Dimuth Karunaratne' for playing a Captain's knock and carrying the Sri Lankan Test team on your own once again. ?

He has been often criticized for scoring the bulk of his runs against weaker teams but this Hundred has come against a strong bowling side of India. ?

— Aditya (@Adityakrsaha) M<!---->a<!---->r<!---->c<!---->h<!----> <!---->1<!---->4<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->2

Also Read – IND vs SL: Virat Kohli’s Frustration Is Being Seen On The Ground As Well – Irfan Pathan On Indian Batter’s Batting Woes