India set for big win against Lanka as Kohli, Mukund help visitors put up 498-run lead on Day 3
India inch closer to big win after taking 498-run lead
Galle, July 28: India closed in on a big win as their domination went uncontested for the third successive day in the first Test against Sri Lanka here. Virat Kohli (76 batting) and Abhinav Mukund (81) put on 133 runs for the third wicket as India reached 189/3 in 46.3 overs at stumps on a rain-affected Day Three.
Overall, the visitors have a lead of 498 runs after they decided against enforcing the follow-on. In reply to India’s mammoth first-innings total of 600, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 291 in 78.3 overs.
After a rain-break that cost 86 minutes, playing time was extended until 6pm local time to make up for the lost overs. Kohli and Mukund made hay while the sun was out as they barely countered any trouble from the Sri Lankan bowlers.
Mukund scored only his second Test half-century off 78 balls, after his previous effort of 62 runs against the West Indies at Roseau in Dominica back in 2011. He then proceeded to overtake that mark to record his highest score in Test cricket. Overall, he faced 116 balls, and hit eight fours. At the other end, Kohli overcame his bad patch in Tests by scoring his 15th fifty off 68 balls. This was the first time since February that the Indian skipper had crossed the 40-mark, after scoring 204 and 38 against Bangladesh at Hyderabad. His highest against Australia in five innings across three Tests was 15.
Here, he picked easy runs off the Lankan bowling and overcame that mental hurdle after scoring only three runs in the first innings. Overall, Kohli faced 114 balls, and hit five fours. His 50-partnership with Mukund came up in only 51 balls, and the duo crossed the 100-mark in 120 balls.
The day’s play ended when Mukund fell lbw to parttimer Danushka Gunathilaka (1/15). The batsman opted to review, but that decision too went against him.