Ind vs SL 1st Test Colombo: INDIA 128 for 2 (Dhawan 53* and Kohli 45*) Trail Sri Lanka 183 by 55 Runs.
Losing the toss on the pitches of Sri Lanka is not the best option that any of the captains would prefer. The statistics reveal in the last 14 years, only ‘TWO’ captains have lost the toss and managed to win the game.
Now looks like Virat has created an opportunity for himself to become the Third captain who will be able to win the game after losing the toss.
Ashwin, who took six wickets for the team, forced the Lankan team on Back Foot, Amit Mishra got two wickets.
Ishant Sharma one and Varun Aaron one wicket, which states that Spinners lead the team from the front.
Sri Lanka was forced to wind up at the score of 183 and now the Indian Batsmen were to be tested. But it looked for some time that the Lankan bowlers will have control on the innings when India lost two early wickets.
Angelo Mathews, the Lone Warrior scored 64 and clearly conveyed that it was not difficult to bat on a pitch like this, if played with right tactics. With the help of half-century scored by Dinesh Chandimal, Sri Lanka managed to get a score of 183.
Ashwin’s six wickets in an innings turned out to be the best figures for an Indian Bowler in the first innings, in an away Test.
It looked like Ashwin targeted only Left Handed batsmen, as he took four out of them. Ashwin, who was not performing well in last two years on away series will be happy looking at his figures in the First Innings.
TV telecast and streaming info:
Sony Six, Sony Six HD and Sony Kix TV channels will broadcast the Test live in India.
The live streaming can be watched on Sony Six website here or HERE.
Ashwin had to bowl only 82 bowls to get his Six Wickets and in a part of the mind, will also think that the Fast bowlers had made his work easy by getting the breakthrough of the Openers.
Things were not going well for the Indians, as Dhawan dropped Kaushal Silva in the slips in Fourth over. But the fast bowlers responded well even after the drop Catch and soon the First wicket was taken by Ishant Sharma who dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne with a Bouncer and Varun Aaron took the wicket of Silva.
Sanggakar who was in his Last International Series, was out in the middle in the Eight over, Kohli played his Triumph Card and went to Ashwin and Ashwin did so, After beating Sanggakar by flight in his First over; it did not take too long for Ashwin to send Sanggakar back to Pavilion when he bowled an short of length delivery, forcing Sanggakara to play forward directing the ball in the hands of KL Rahul at Silly point.
Angelo Mathews who was playing his 50th test match tried to break the aggressive field of Captain Kohli, by playing some good shots where as Lahiru Thirimanne used his Defense against the bowlers, which did not last long until Ashwin Produced an Beauty and got his wicket and that was when downfall of the batting order started. Till lunch Sri Lanka was 60 for 5 with a satisfaction of having their last identified Batting pair on the Crease.
Post lunch Wriddhiman Saha, who dropped an easy catch of Chandimal on a delivery bowled beautifully by Ishant. This cost the Indians a Partnership of 79 between Mathews and Chandimal, while Kohli was waiting for a break through Patiently.
Soon he gave the attack to Ashwin Which worked within no time, taking the wicket of Chandimal and later also dismissed Angelo Mathews.
These wickets triggered the Batting line up and Within no time the Lankans Innings was ended.
For Lankans it was Dhammika Prasad who got the first Wicket of KL Rahul and later Captain Mathews managed to take the second wicket of Rohit Sharma, though the rest of the bowlers did not take any further wickets, Dhawan Who scored an Half century was well Accompanied by Captain Virat Kohli.
Cricket live score: