A look at the major talking points from the third day's play of the first Test between Sri Lanka and India in Galle:
DRS: Act 1Indian cricket shares a frosty relationship with the DRS. Such has been the aversion to the technology that they fully accepted it only last year when England toured India for a five-Test series. On Day 3,
Dilruwan Perera used it to reverse a lbw decision that looked plumb to the naked eye. When DRS was pressed in to action, the tracker recommended that the ball would have bounced way over the stumps. Even the on-field umpire Richard Illingworth smiled after the TV umpire told him his decision. Naturally, everyone, including
Virat Kohli was left frustrated.
DRS: Act IICan't keep DRS out of action? Can you? As
Rangana Herath went for a reverse sweep against
Ravindra Jadeja, it ballooned over the wicketkeeper and the slip fielder took a few steps back to complete the catch. Herath was nonchalant, his body language clearly suggesting it might not have come off his bat/glove. The Indians appealed and the umpire raised his finger. The batsman opted for a review and the first replay suggested the ball may have come off the forehand. The TV umpire asked for the ultra-edge after reviewing from another angle that implied the ball brushed the glove which was subsequently proved right. And the on-field umpire's decision was upheld.
Stranded in the 90sDilruwan Perera was by far Sir Lanka's best batsman on show. He showed intent and was quite proactive throughout the innings. He might have come in to bat at no. 7 (no. 8 if you also count the injured Asela Gunaratne) but played like a top-order batsman. He hit four sixes - two each against
Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja - and 10 fours. He stepped out, cut and pulled with ease. And at lunch, was 10 runs short of what could have been his maiden Test hundred. But, he was unlucky, as the last-man in Lahiru Kumara was bowled with Sri Lanka 291 all-out. And Perera (92*) joined the unwanted list of the batsmen who were left stranded in the 90s.
The rain delayCheteshwar Pujara played into the hands of Sri Lankan team's plan after flicking a leg-stump delivery to the leg gully fielder who took the catch on second attempt. And right after that, the ground staff came rushing in with covers as the dreaded rain arrived. It was a short burst lasting just about five minutes but the rain returned soon prompting the entire ground to be covered. An early tea was taken. Sun and rain continued the cat and mouse game before the play resumed at 3:55 pm (IST).
Making it countLeaving behind his first-innings failure,
Abhinav Mukund came to bat on Friday with a renewed approach when India decided to not enforce the follow-on. After a lengthy rain delay, Mukund made it count the second time he was given a chance to prove his mettle by hitting a half-century - his second in the format and the first in five years. Another batsman who shrugged off an indifferent form was India captain Virat Kohli who after hitting a double-century against Bangladesh last year, underwent a dry spell. Before today, he had scores of 38, 0, 13, 12, 15, 6 and 3 in his last seven innings.