India vs Sri Lanka, 2nd Test Day 4 Highlights: India on Top After Sangakkara Fails in his Final Test
Ajinkya Rahane's century and Ashwin's double-strike have put India firmly on top in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo. Catch all the highlights here.
Ajinkya Rahane's century laid the foundation for India's surge on day four as they declared 325/8, setting Sri Lanka a target of 413. In response, they lost two wickets. There was big disappointment for Sri Lankan fans as Kumar Sangakkara failed in his final Test, perishing to Ashwin for the fourth time in four innings. Catch all the highlights of the fourth day here. (Scorecard | Schedule | Photos):
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17:30 hrs IST: That will be stumps on day four and India are on top. Sri Lanka are 72/2, needing another 341 runs for victory. The crowd expected a special knock from Kumar Sangakkara in his final Test but he failed to deliver and he fell for 18. His stellar career has ended for Sri Lanka. He leaves with 12400 runs at an average of 57.40, with 38 centuries and 52 fifties. Take a bow, legend.
17:24 hrs IST: Karunaratne is settling into his groove here and he smashes three consecutive boundaries in Ashwin's 10th over. Can Sri Lanka end the day on a positive note or will India strike just before the close?
17:15 hrs IST: Karunaratne is just hanging in there against Ashwin. He survives a close LBW shout but the umpire is unmoved. It was the carrom ball from Ashwin but that was probably going down the leg side.
17:04 hrs IST: A slip, gully and silly point in place. Ashwin is continuing to cause troubles for Sri Lanka. India are sensing another wicket here towards the close of play. Sri Lanka 48/2, needing another 365 runs for victory.
16:49 hrs IST: An era comes to an end! Ashwin strikes and Kumar Sangakkara drifts off into the sunset. The crowd is on their feet at the P Sara Oval and the Indians are applauding this legend off. Kumar Sangakkara c Vijay b Ashwin 18 (18).
Ashwin gets him for the fourth time in four innings. This delivery spins away and Sangakkara edges it to gully where Vijay takes the catch. Sangakkara raises his bat and acknowledges the applause of the crowd. Thank you for the memories, legend.
16:34 hrs IST: The crowd cheer wildly as Sangakkara gets his first boundary. Ishant drifts into the pads and Sangakkara neatly clips it to deep midwicket.
16:26 hrs IST: Almost a run-out. Sangakkara was walking back to the pavilion if that throw had hit the stumps. Karunaratne drives Ishant to mid-on and Sangakkara sets off for the single but is sent back. Ashwin fails to collect it at the non-striker's end. Close.
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16:24 hrs IST: India have opened the attack with spin and they have struck. R Ashwin gets rid of Kaushal Silva. Kaushal Silva c Binny b Ashwin 1 (9).
That is a soft dismissal. Ashwin bowls a full toss and Silva chips it straight to short mid-wicket. Enter Kumar Sangakkara, for one last time in an international match. He gets a guard of honour from the kids and the Sri Lankan crowd are on their feet.
1556 hrs IST: That's it! Here comes the declaration. India 225 for eight declared in 91 overs to set Sri Lanka 413-run target.
1543 hrs IST: WICKET! Amit Mishra departs for 10. Dhammika Prasad gets another one with the short ball. Mishra tucks this one straight in the hands of jehan Mubarak at short fine leg. India have lost their eighth. No signs of declaration yet.
1531 hrs IST: WICKET! R Ashwin falls for 19. Edged and taken! Dhammika Prasad bowls a short ball around off, Ashwin looks to run it down but gets a thick outside edge to it. Dinesh Chandimal takes the catch but does not appeal. Ashwin does not wait for the umpire's decision and starts walking.
1518 hrs IST: Potchefstroom ODI Update! South Africa have lost their fifth wicket for 107 runs. New Zealand pacers Doug Bracewell and Adam Milne have bagged two wickets each. (Follow live updates of the match here)
1503 hrs IST: WICKET! Stuart Binny (17) out first ball after tea break. Pokes at a moving delivery to Lahiru Thirimanne at second slip off Dhammika Prasad. India have lost their sixth wicket.
1442 hrs IST: TEA! That's the end of second session and India have reached 283 for five in 82 overs. A good session for India. Rahane reached his century too. They now have a lead of 370 runs and might even declare very soon. A concern for them, Saha got an injury and had to be escorted out with the physio, Ashwin and Binny are currently batting but that may not be for long. It will be interesting to see when India declares.
1430 hrs IST: Wriddhiman Saha walks off the field due to a strain. R Ashwin joins Stuart Binny in the middle.
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1418 hrs IST: WICKET! Ajinkya Rahane departs for 126. Rahane has finally been dismissed. He edges this one straight to the keeper. He went to drive but didn't connect well enough and Chandimal gets an easy catch. A well played innings comes to an end. He has done his job though. Kaushal gets his fourth.
1410 hrs IST: WICKET! Rohit Sharma departs for 34. That was yet another silly way to get out. Seems like he has knack of getting himself out due to rash shots. The ball was full on middle, he could have played with a straight bat but instead, went for the slog sweep. Got on one knee and powered that in the air. Got the elevation but not the distance. Jehan Mubarak at deep mid-wicket didn't have to move an inch, the ball went straight down his throat, an easy catch to say the least. Third one for Tharindu Kaushal.
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1345 hrs IST: DRINKS BREAK! Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma have put on a 50-run stand for the fourth wicket. The two have scored 42 runs in the session so far.
1330 hrs IST: CENTURY! Ajinkya Rahane notches up his fourth Test hundred. He took 212 balls to reach the landmark and it has been a Rahul Dravid-style knock by the Mumbaikar.
1304 hrs IST: South Africa opt to bat against New Zealand in the second ODI at Potchefstroom. Proteas lead series 1-0. (Follow live updates of the match here)
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1202 hrs IST: LUNCH! That's the end of the first session on Day 4 and India have reached 179 for three in 56 overs with a huge lead of 266 runs. Ajinkya Rahane (82 not out) is currently batting with Rohit Sharma (2 not out) and they will look to score some quick runs in the second session. Murali Vijay missed out on his seventh hundred, while Virat Kohli scored only 10. Rahane and Vijay were also involved in a 140-run stand for the second wicket. Tharindu Kaushal picked up both the wickets today.
1147 hrs IST: WICKET! Virat Kohli departs for 10! Tharindu Kaushal bowls good length ball on middle. Kohli held himself back and went to flick it off the back foot. He was playing for the turn but the ball turned very little this time. Struck him plumb in front. It seemed the umpire was just waiting for the appeals as he raised his finger in a jiffy. Kaushal gets his second wicket. Rohit Sharma joins Ajinkya Rahane at the crease.
1116 hrs IST: WICKET! Murali Vijay falls for 82 off 133 balls. Tharindu Kaushal breaks the 140-run stand. Vijay has been playing the sweep all day. His faith on that shot has not rewarded him this time. He missed the length of the ball and it struck him on the pads. The umpire thinks before raising his finger.
1104 hrs IST: DRINKS BREAK! It has been a magnificent session for India so far. Murali Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane have scored their respective fifties and have taken India's lead to 225 runs without much threat from Sri Lankan bowlers. The duo has also put on a 135-run stand for the second wicket.
1052 hrs IST: Murali Vijay has been batting aggressively since his fifty. He has hit two huge sixes to help India go past 200 in lead.
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1047 hrs IST: FIFTY! Ajinkya Rahane reaches his 8th Test fifty off 118 balls with the help of five fours. Rahane and Vijay also bring up 100-run partnership for the second wicket.
1028 hrs IST: FIFTY! Murali Vijay reaches his 11th Test fifty off 104 balls. He hit three fours en route to half-century. It has been a wonderful knock by the Indian opener.
1023 hrs IST: Murali Vijay survives. He edges one from Dhammika Prasad but it goes past a diving Kumar Sangakkara at first slip for four.
1017 hrs IST: Run scoring has been easy so far and Murali Vijay is nearing his half-century. Rangana Herath and Dhammika Prasad are bowling in tandem. India lead by 166 runs now.
1001 hrs IST: Murali Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane are out in the middle. Rangana Herath will begin Day 4 proceedings.
0949 hrs IST: It's still a very good track to bat on. Cracks have opened up and India will have to be cautious during the first hour of play. Sri Lanka will look for at least a couple of early wickets. It's bright and sunny right now in Colombo but thunderstorm is predicted later in the day.
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For the first part of day three, Sri Lanka were in the ascendancy. Angelo Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne were playing with supreme confidence and they were wiping out the deficit quickly. While Mathews attacked, Thirimanne was solid. However, two things changed and the match turned on its head.(Kohli Should be Judged as Captain After One Full Season: Gavaskar)
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First, the rain break disrupted Sri Lanka's momentum. Second, Ishant Sharma bowled brilliantly with the new ball. He got rid of Thirimanne for 62 and then sent back Dinesh Chandimal, the hero of Galle, cheaply. These two quick wickets swung the pendulum back towards India. The bowling, that has attracted some criticism, came into its own. Amit Mishra sliced through the lower order to finish with 4/43 and India managed a crucial 87-run lead.(Thirimanne Fined for Showing Dissent)
Although they lost Lokesh Rahul cheaply, Ajinkya Rahane and Murali Vijay extended India's advantage and at stumps, they are 70/1, leading by 157 runs.(Mishra Wants Batsmen to Set Big Target)
The bowling unit has delivered for India and it is now up to the batsmen to seize the advantage. The plan for India will be clear on day four. They will be looking to score an additional 200-250 runs and insert Sri Lanka in during the final session. Mishra stated that a target in excess of 350 will be very difficult on a track that is starting to assist the spinners.
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India have a clear plan and they will be aiming to put Sri Lanka under the hammer on the fourth day. Quick Runs, Big Lead, Declare, Insert Sri Lanka in the final session, some quick wickets. This will be the modus operandi for India on Sunday. For the hosts, they will be aiming to make scoring difficult for India and stay dogged in their defence if they are to save this match.
With Kumar Sangakkara playing his final international innings, the motivation for the home side to save this match will be immense.