Kohli notches up record double century as captain as Sri Lankans complain about Delhi’s pollution
Virat Kohli smashed a record double century to put India on top in the third Test against Sri Lanka, whose fielders wore anti-pollution masks in smog-hit Delhi yesterday.
Kohli cracked a career-best 243 but his sixth double century as captain was overshadowed on the second day after Sri Lanka complained about air pollution in the Indian capital, halting play three times.
The second session was delayed more than 20 minutes as smog visibly worsened at Feroz Shah Kotla Ground and the umpires consulted the match referee and team doctors.
Sri Lanka fast bowlers Lahiru Gamage and Suranga Lakmal returned to the pavilion amid the drama, leaving the visitors short of fielders and prompting Kohli to declare India’s first innnings on 536-7.
Sri Lanka coach Nic Pothas defended the decision to halt the match, saying players’ safety is of “paramount importance”.
“Obviously it is well documented that Delhi has high level of pollution,” Pothas pointed out. “They had got extremely high at one point, we had players coming in at one point and vomiting,” he added.
“There were oxygen cylinders in the dressing room. It is not normal for players to suffer in that way while playing the game. Under most circumstances we wanted to play cricket. We just wanted to have some clarity on the safety of players,” Pothas also said.
Sri Lanka were 131-3 at stumps, trailing by 405 runs. Angelo Mathews, on 57, and captain Dinesh Chandimal, on 25, were batting when bad light stopped play for the day.
Mathews, who returned to form with a fighting half-century, and Chandimal steadied the Sri Lankan innings with an unbeaten 56-run stand after pace spearhead Mohammed Shami struck with the very first ball to dismiss left-hander Dimuth Karunaratne.
Lanky fast bowler Ishant Sharma trapped Dhananjaya de Silva (1) leg before as the visitors took tea on 18-2.
Dilruwan Perera, who scored 42 after opening the batting in place of injured opener Sadeera Samarawickrama, then staged a gritty 61-run partnership with Mathews.
Both Perera and Mathews were given reprieves, on 16 and six respectively, after Shikhar Dhawan and Kohli dropped catches in the slips.
Perera was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja as Sri Lanka slipped further.
But the day belonged to Kohli, who recorded his second successive 200-plus score to pulverise the attack after India started the day on 371-4.
He surpassed Brian Lara of West Indies to become the first captain to register six double centuries. Kohli, who resumed on 156 and batted over seven hours, combined with overnight partner Rohit Sharma (65) to put on 135 for the fifth wicket.
The captain, who made 213 in the second Test, pulled Lakmal for a couple to reach his milestone, raising his bat to acknowledge a raucous home crowd. The Delhi player was finally trapped lbw off left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan, who claimed four wickets in the innings.
“Virat batted close to two days, he didn’t need a mask. We are focused on what we need to do. The conditions are the same for both teams,” India’s bowling coach Bharat Arun said.
India lead the series 1-0 and need only a draw for a record-equalling ninth successive Test series triumph.
England and Australia are the other sides to have achieved the feat.