Carrying on from yesterday, Jadeja showed no signs of slowing down as India posted 574-8 before declaring the innings.
The Spin Duo Flattens Sri Lanka
Jadeja and Ashwin stitched a 130 runs partnership to deny Sri Lanka any chance of coming back in the first match. Both started positively earlier in the day and kept collecting boundaries almost every other over. With Lahiru Kumara out of the equation, the Sri Lankan attack lacked the firepower to trouble Indian batters.
Both Jadeja and Ashwin brought up their fifties and looked ominous for Lankans. It was only at the end of the first session that Lakmal decided to enforce a change of tactics. He started a barrage of short balls against Ashwin that ultimately got him the off-spinners wicket. However, it was already too late as India had crossed the 450 runs mark while scoring at a healthy strike rate. Jadeja also brought up his second test hundred before lunch and celebrated with his trademark sword celebration.
The Rockstar, Jadeja Decimates Sri Lanka
The second session began with Jaddu and Jayant Yadav on the crease. Yadav was soon dismissed off Fernando owing to a poke at the swinging ball on off stump. Mohammad Shami joined Jaddu in the middle as India seemed in no hurry to declare the innings. Together they formed yet another 100 run partnership in the Indian inning.
Jadeja massacred the Sri Lankan bowling line and crossed the 150 run mark. Warnie’s rockstar perhaps paid tribute to him by scoring an unbeaten 175 before India declared on 574-8 in 129.2 overs. Trailing India’s mammoth total, Sri Lanka lost their opener Thrimanne early in the innings as Ashwin trapped him for lbw.
India Continue to Pile on the Misery
Jadeja once again came to the party when he dismissed the Sri Lankan captain Karunaratne in the 25th over of the Sri Lankan innings. At 59-2, Angelo Mathews joined Nissanka in the middle and tried forging a partnership with him. However, Bumrah cut Mathews’s stay at the crease very short by dismissing him at 22.
The final wicket of the day came in the form of de Silva being deceived by the off-spinner, Ashwin. Sri Lanka is still trailing by 466 runs and finished the 2nd day on 108-4 in 43 overs.
The action for the third day will start at 9:30 IST in the IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali. Stream it live on Disney+Hotstar.