INDvSL, 2nd Test: Hosts fight back, end Day 3 at 209/2

The resilient Sri Lankan pair of Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis displayed their best batting performance to keep India at bay after a first innings debacle guiding the hosts to 209 for 2 here on the third day of the second Test.

After being bowled out for a paltry 183 in the first innings losing as many as as eight wickets in a single session, No 3 Mendis (110 off 135 balls) and opener Karunaratne (92 batting, 200 balls) added 191 as the visitors could get only two wickets in the next two sessions.

While Sri Lanka still need 230 runs to avoid innings defeat with two days left, the pitch losing a bit of bite and the effort by the top-order, should help the home team make a match out of it.

Spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin (0/79 in 24 overs) and Ravindra Jadeja (0/76 in 16 overs) looked a pale shadow of their original self, which saw them account for bulk of the Sri Lankan wickets in the first innings.

India’s all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s (1/12 in 5 overs) came in handy as he induced an inside edge of Mendis with Wriddhiman Saha taking a smart catch down leg-side.

With the pitch losing a bit …read more