Pegged on the backfoot by India, Sri Lanka needed 341 to win with eight wickets in hand when play ended on Day 4 in the second Test at the P Sara Oval. After resuming on 70 for one in the morning, India declared their second innings on 325 for eight, setting the hosts a 413-run target.
Anchoring the innings, Ajinkya Rahane helped India to a sizeable lead with a crucial 126. He was involved in a 140-run stand with Murali Vijay (82) that set up the tone of the innings and then guided the team to a advantageous position with a well composed century before returning to the pavilion. The lower-order then negotiated the new ball wielding Dhammika Prasad to push the lead past 400 until Virat Kohli declared the innings in the third session.
With Ravichandran Ashwin then striking early, SL were 72 for two with Dimuth Karunaratne (25*) and Angelo Mathews (23*) in the middle at the end of day’s play.
Having set the hosts a formidable target, India fired on all cylinders. With Wriddhiman Saha injured, KL Rahul donned the keeping gloves. Ashwin struck in the third over to leave SL on eight for one. Kaushal Silva departed hitting the ball to Stuart Binny who took a low catch at short-midwicket.
Welcomed to the crease with a guard of honour, Kumar Sangakkara then walked out to bat for the last time in Test cricket. Kohli persisted with Ashwin and replaced Umesh Yadav with Ishant Sharma as India looked to build on the pressure. And for fourth time in the series, the off-spinner claimed the legendary batsman with a tossed up delivery that took the edge off Sangakkara’s bat and was caught at gully. The SL No 3 bat’s last innings ended for 18.
With the team on 33 for two, Mathews joined Karunaratne in an effort to stabilise the innings. The Indian spinners, however, kept the flow of runs in check as they tested the batsmen who toiled to take the team to stumps.
Earlier, Vijay and Rahane dominated for over an hour after getting off to a circumspect start to the day. The duo kept the flow of runs coming with singles before milking the SL bowlers for boundaries across the ground.
Vijay was the first to reach his half-century with a single through mid-off off Rangana Herath and a few overs later, Rahane reverse-swept Dushmantha Chameera to get there with a boundary. The No 3 batsman drove and pulled as he kept the scorers busy.
While Rahane played the anchor, the opener took on the bowlers as India looked on to pile on runs to help post a sizeable target. Vijay, who seemingly needed to put in an extra effort into running between the wickets, dismissed Chameera over midwicket for six and lofted Tharindu Kaushal over long-on for another in the next. The opener plundered runs off the SL attack as he cruised into the 80s and had in the process put pressure on the hosts. However, while looking to sweep Tharindu, he was out lbw for 82, but had set the momentum in India’s favour before returning to the dressing room.
Virat Kohli then joined Rahane in building on the platform set by the second-wicket partnership. The pair ran hard between the wickets while looking to add to the total. However, the stand was broken for 28 before taking shape. Tharindu had the India captain trapped leg-before wicket few minutes before lunch to keep the match hanging in balance.
Rohit Sharma then joined Rahane in taking the team to Lunch at 179 for three. Poised on 82 at the start of the second session, Rahane continued to bat sensibly as he worked his way towards his fourth Test hundred. As Mathews set the field to dry up the singles on which the batsman had built a fine innings, Rahane patiently carried on to get to the three-figure mark for the first time in a second innings of a Test and at No 3 for the national side. He got there with a single on the leg side off Tharindu. He was ably supported by Rohit in getting to the landmark and building the Indian innings further.
Rohit, who had looked in good nick, too drove the off-spinner to long-off to as they steadily added to the total. The pair upped the run rate as India’s lead crossed the 300-run mark. The batsmen found the ropes while also adding to the title with ones and twos. Lofted drives to slog-sweeps, a range of shots were on display as the duo kept India on top. However, the blossoming stand ended with the lead on 343 as Rohit departed holing out to deep-midwicket off Tharindu.
At 256 for four, Binny came out to join the centurion in building on the lead. But six runs later, Rahane edged Tharindu and was caught by the wicketkeeper. Saha, who replaced him in the middle retired hurt a couple of overs later. With Ashwin, Binny then took the team to Tea on 283 for five with a 370-run lead.
However, on the first ball after tea, Prasad armed with the new ball had Binny edge to the slips. Ashwin then carried the innings forward with Amit Mishra but with the lead two short of 400, the former walked after nicking Prasad to the wicketkeeper.
In the pacer’s next, Mishra departed hitting Prasad to backward short-leg. At 318 for eight, Yadav joined Saha, who had returned to the crease in extending the lead. With the lead all of 412, India declared their innings about an hour into the third session.
End of Day 1: India 1st inn 319/6 in 87.2 overs (KL Rahul 108, R Sharma 79, V Kohli 78, D Prasad 2/72, R Herath 2/73)
End of Day 2: India 1st inn 393 all out in 114 overs (W Saha 56, A Mishra 24, R Herath 4/81, A Mathews 2/24); Sri Lanka 1st inn 140/3 in 53 overs (K Silva 51, K Sangakkara 32, L Thirimanne 28*, A Mishra 1/9, U Yadav 1/34)
End of Day 3: Sri Lanka 1st inn 306 all out in (A Mathews 102, L Thirimanne 62, A Mishra 4/43, I Sharma 2/68); India 2nd inn 70/1 in 29.2 overs (M Vijay 39*, A Rahane 28*, D Prasad 1/12)
End of Day 4: India 2nd inn 325/8 in 91 overs (A Rahane 126, M Vijay 82, D Prasad 4/43, T Kaushal 4/118); Sri Lanka 2nd inn 72/2 in 21 overs (D Karunaratne 25*, A Mathews 23*, K Sangakkara 18, R Ashwin 2/27)
