Rangana Herath and Tharindu Kaushal spun a web around India to reduce them to 78 for 7 against Sri Lanka, still 98 runs away from victory, at lunch on Day Four of the first Test at Galle. After Herath captured KL Rahul LBW on the third evening, he snapped up the wickets of Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, and Wriddhiman Saha. Kaushal meanwhile accounted for Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan. Sri Lanka took some time to get their first wicket on the day, but once Ishant was out LBW to Herath, the wickets kept coming thick and fast. Rohit Sharma was bowled by Herath for 4 before Tharindu Kaushal got into the action. Ajinkya Rahane and Ravichandran Ashwin were the two batsmen in the middle for India at lunch
Kohli was caught well by Kaushal Silva at short leg for 3 after getting an inside edge while trying to flick off Kaushal. With India at 45 for 4, Ajinkya Rahane made his way out. Dhawan was the next man to go, getting out caught and bowled by Tharindu for 28, the highest score for India till then. India were 60 for 5 at that stage. Saha came in next, but made hardly an impression, getting done in by the flight from Herath and overbalancing while trying to play a defensive shot. Saha was stumped by Chanidmal for 2. Harbhajan Singh then came in at No. 8, ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin. However, he was not able to stem the rut either, getting caught at short leg for just 1.
Earlier, Rangana Herath snapped up KL Rahul LBW for just 5, struck plumb in front of the wicket to leave India 23 for 1 chasing 176 against Sri Lanka in the first Test at Galle. Sri Lanka gave Dhammika Prasad two overs, with Herath and Tharindu Kaushal continuing afterward. Shikhar Dhawan, who did not take field on Day Three after hurting his hand, came out to open batting and looked slightly shaky to start with. Dinesh Chandimal’s tremendous 162 not out ensured that India have to score 176 to win the first Test at Galle. Ravichandran Ashwin finished with 10 wickets in the match and Ajinkya Rahane broke the world record for most catches in a Test, but the Sri Lankan lower and middle order held firm against the Indian spinners. Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne counterattacked after lunch to help Sri Lanka take the lead.
(Cricket Country)
