Sri Lanka vs India 2017, 3rd Test: Day 2, 5 talking points

If India hadn’t already proved dominance over Sri Lanka on this tour, they certainly did that on the second day of the third and final Test match of the series.

Carrying on from his overnight score of 1, India’s new star Hardik Pandya smashed a brilliant hundred (108 off 96 balls), breaking numerous records on his way.

India lost the wicket of Wriddhiman Saha very early in the morning but, supported ably by Kuldeep Yadav, Pandya took India’s total to 487.

However, the hosts repeated their sorry performance with the bat, getting bowled out for a mere 135 runs in their first innings. Mohammed Shami was breathing fire in his first spell and dismissed both the openers very cheaply. The quickie bowled with great aggression and got the bowl to swing both ways.

The skipper, Dinesh Chandimal stopped the rampage with a patient innings (48 off 87 balls) but the hosts lost their way completely after he departed. Kuldeep Yadav was impressive yet again with his variations and helped himself with a four-for.

India, as expected, forced the hosts to follow on. But the horrid story of Sri Lanka’s batting continued as Upul Tharanga dragged one onto his stumps off Umesh Yadav’s bowling. After facing 13 challenging overs, the home side ended their day with 19 runs with the loss of one wicket.

This game looks headed only one way and if there is no miracle in store, this match could be over very soon.

Here are five talking points of today’s play.

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#5 Lakshan Sandakan’s first five-for in Tests

Lakshan Sandakan was impressive yet again

Though there are plenty of problems for Sri Lanka with the bat, their bowling star, Lakshan Sandakan’s performance must be heart-warming. The youngster was probably the only one who looked to bother the Indian batsmen with his guile.

The wrist-spinner picked up a brilliant five-for. He finished with his career best figures in Tests, 132-5 in 35.3 overs.

The youngster, like India’s Kuldeep Yadav, troubled Indian batsmen with his wrong-un and helped Sri Lanka in dismissing India for less than 500 runs.

#4 Ravichandran Ashwin’s diving stop effects a brilliant run out

Ravichandran Ashwin effected a brilliant run out to dismiss Kusal Mendis

Ravichandran Ashwin might not have the quickest legs on the field but the tall spinner is not to be taken lightly; Sri Lank’s Kusal Mendis learned this the hard way.

Ashwin who was stationed at mid on pulled out a sensational effort in the field and affected a crucial run-out.

Chandimal flicked one to the left of Ashwin in the ninth over their first innings and set out for a quick single. But the diving stop from the Indian off-spinner caused a terrible mix-up between him and Mendis.

However, Ashwin didn’t send the perfect throw to Shami who was at the stumps but Kuldeep Yadav who was at cover collected the ball and grounded the middle-stump at non-striker’s end. Mendis was short by a yard and had to walk back.

Mendis who scored an attacking hundred in the last match could have been tough to contain. But the brilliant bit of fielding from Ashwin meant it wasn’t his day.

#3 Kuldeep Yadav’s variations too tough to handle for Sri Lankan batsmen

Kuldeep Yadav ran through the Sri Lankan middle-order

The young left-arm chinaman had another successful outing with the ball, picking up another four-for in Tests. Yadav mixed his pace and used his variations brilliantly to break open the Lankan middle-order.

The wrist spinner troubled all the batsmen with his wrong-un. The highest-scorer for the hosts, Chandimal too couldn’t pick the young spinner.

However, Yadav was unfortunate to miss out on a five-for. He bagged four wickets for 44, which is also his career best figures in his brief Test career so far.

#2 Mohammed Shami’s fiery spell

Mohammed Shami bowled a fiery spell with the new ball

The Bengal pacer was in great rhythm during his first spell of the innings. He ran in and troubled both the openers, though there was very little assistance from the surface.

The quickie first got rid of Upul Tharanga as he had the Sri Lankan opener pushing for a delivery that was outside off stump. In his very next over, he got the other opener with a similar kind of delivery which took the outside edge and just about carried to Saha behind the wickets.

While the ever impressive Umesh Yadav was struggling to get his line right, Shami stepped up and gave India the initial breakthroughs. The hosts couldn’t really handle the extra pace that Shami had.

#1 Hardik Pandya registers his first Test century

The all-rounder, Hardik Pandya showed his batting prowess with a scintillating hundred

Virat Kohli’s faith in Hardik Pandya has paid off. The all-rounder scored a swashbuckling hundred and showed his abilities with the bat once again. Pandya became the fastest Indian batsman to register a hundred coming into bat at number eight or below in terms of number of deliveries faced.

In his match-turning innings, the hard-hitting all-rounder smashed seven sixes to go with 8 fours. He was exceptional against the spinners; he used his feet brilliantly and jumped down the pitch if there was any flight and waited for the inevitable short ball on the back foot.

It was particularly impressive the way he scored at such an impressive rate. There was no slogging involved at all. They were all proper shots and they were all jaw-dropping.

Notably, Pandya thrashed Malinda Pushpakumara for 26 runs in the 116th over of India’s innings which is the most runs scored off a single over by an Indian batsman in Test cricket.