Shikhar Dhawan scores his 5th Test century for India. (Source: Reuters)
Shikhar Dhawan gave Sri Lanka only one chance to get him out. Lahiru Kumara pitched one up to him and he drove it casually. The ball took the outside edge of Dhawan’s bat and flew to second slip where Asela Gunaratne put down the catch while diving to his left.
The left-hander did not let Sri Lanka bowler beat him again. He scored runs at will and in boundaries, a mode he used to reach his fifth Test hundred off just 110 balls with the help of 16 fours. This was his second Test century against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka.
The opener took on the bowlers right from the word go and took no time to reach his fifty which came in 62 balls and went to Lunch unbeaten at 64. But, after Lunch, he just dealt in boundaries and in quick time reached his century.
India won the toss and captain Virat Kohli had no hesitation in electing to bat first on a good batting surface in Galle. Dhawan opened with Abhinav Mukund and gave India a steady start. His partner was dismissed when India had 27 runs on the board but it did not affect Dhawan, who continued to score runs at brisk pace.
When Cheteshwar Puajra joined him, they both punished the Sri Lanka bowlers. Dhawan in particular was more punishing as he not only put away the loose deliveries but used his feet to great effect against spinners to hit boundaries.
