SL survive Kotla, India win series 10
THIRD TEST India equal England and Australia’s record of most series victories in a row after Dhananjaya, Roshen help visitors eke out draw
NEW DELHI: India, the world No 1 Test team, signed off an impressive phase by equalling the world record for most series wins on the trot after Sri Lanka fought to salvage draw in the final Test at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground on Wednesday.
A Test blighted by acute air pollution ended in far better conditions as Sri Lanka finally showed spine, avoiding defeat against India in a full game for the first time since August, 2015. India won the three-Test series 1-0.
The last time India played at Virat Kohli’s home ground, they overcame a blockathon by South Africa in late 2015. Sri Lanka batsmen showed better resistance.
No 3 Dhananjaya de Silva was the hero of the final day. He scored an elegant 119, dragging his team out of trouble despite a painful glute muscle problem.
The 26-year-old eventually retired before tea, unable to carry on.
But Sri Lankan hopes off a draw brightened with debutant Roshen Silva (64 no) and Niroshan Dickwella (44 no) frustrated the bowlers on a pitch that held up well right through. The draw was agreed upon with eight overs left to bowl.
DHANANJAYA’S TON
India, having reduced Sri Lanka to 31/3 overnight, got a ‘lucky’ break when birthday boy Ravindra Jadeja got first-innings centurion Angelo Mathews caught off a no-ball.
Umpire Joel Wilson made a howler, not checking if Jadeja had over-stepped.
He was alert when Jadeja bowled a no-ball the second time to bowl Dinesh Chandimal on 24. He was reprieved after the TV umpire was consulted. The Sri Lanka skipper raised 112 runs for the fifth wicket with Dhananjaya before R Ashwin broke through after lunch.
Sri Lankan batsmen, especially Dhananjaya, used their feet to prevent Ashwin from exploiting the rough, but the off-spinner beat Chandimal with flight and loop to knock back the off-stump.
Dhananjaya made all the difference. Despite the glute problem which needed repeated attention from the physio, there was no dip in his wristy stroke play.
He handled the spinners with assurance and saw off a phase after Chandimal’s dismissal when Virat Kohli dried up the runs with his field placements.
He gave a chance on 110, but it was too stiff for bowler Ashwin to hold on to. Dhananjaya made his Test debut last year, scoring two centuries, but was dropped after a string of low scores. He was called up for the first time this series to replace No 3 Lahiru Thirimanne, criticised for loose play.
He reached his third century by punching Mohammed Shami through cover for three.
Roshen Silva, given his Test debut at 29 after scoring over 6400 first-class runs, supported Dhananjaya and then joined Dickwella to kill Indian hopes of victory. The wicket-keeper was let off on 32 when Wriddhiman Saha missed a stumping off Jadeja.
India were in prime position to win coming into Wednesday, but the pitch was slow and there was no trouble facing the bowling until the new ball was taken after tea with Sri Lanka on 226/5.
At one point, Kohli came on with opener Murali Vijay to make a point about the lifeless pitch. After poor air quality hogged attention in the Test for three days with Sri Lanka players wearing face masks, pollution levels dropped significantly.
Kohli’s career-best 243 and Vijay’s 155 powered India to 536/7 declared. Sri Lanka made 373 to concede a 163-run lead before the hosts made a quick 246/5 declared to give themselves a chance to win.
India won the Nagpur Test by an innings and 239 runs after the rain-hit Kolkata game was drawn.