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India vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test Day 4 at Eden Gardens: The umpires are constantly checking light. They think its okay to continue for another over. So Shanaka steams in and bounces Pujara, who allows Dickwella to do his job. Then he flicks the second ball to backward square leg for a single. Then Rahul picks up a couple. And... the umpires are back and having a discussion. Play stopped due to bad light. It is stumps on Day 4 and India lead by 49 runs.
Day 3 report: Angelo Mathews (52) and Lahiru Thirimanne (51) helped Sri Lanka post 165/4 and trail India by only seven runs at stumps on the third day of the first cricket Test at the Eden Gardens on Saturday.
India's Virat Kohli and Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal. Agencies
India pacer Umesh Yadav took two wickets to get rid of the pair who stitched together a 99-run stand for the third wicket. At the close of play, skipper and birthday boy Dinesh Chandimal (12) and wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella (14) were at the crease.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/49) took two wickets before tea while Mohammed Shami (0/53) went wicketless. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bowled four overs without a wicket.
The play had to be called off 41 minutes before scheduled time due to bad light.
In the morning session, Sri Lankan off-spinner Dilruwan Perera and pacer Lahiru Gamage shared two wickets each as India were skittled out for 172 in their first innings.
For the hosts, in-form top order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara top-scored with 52 while Wriddhiman Saha contributed 29 as fast bowler Suranga Lakmal returned best figures of 4-26 for the tourists.
Resuming at 74/5, Saha (6) and Pujara (47) could manage only a 29-run stand for the sixth wicket before the latter was castled by Gamage (2-59).
Saurashtra Test specialist Pujara completed his 16th half century while Saha then stitched together a 48-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja before the all-rounder was fell lbw off Dilruwan Perera (2-19).
Pujara fell to a peach of a delivery from Lahiru Gamage. The right-arm pacer, who failed to get wickets in the first two days, beat Pujara all ends up with an in-cutter that jagged back off the surface and went between the Saurashtra man's bat and pad to rattle the off-stump. It was a big blow for India.
Saha got a reprieve when wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella missed an easy stumping off Perera when he was batting on 25.
With him was Jadeja, who upped the ante hitting two fours and the first six of the innings before being lbw, a decision which the tourists reviewed after umpire Joel Wilson – standing in place of indisposed Richard Kettleborough – did not rule in favour of Dinesh Chandimal and Co.
In the very same over, Saha gave an easy catch to Angelo Mathews trying to paddle sweep Perera. The local boy asked for the review after consulting with Bhuvneshwar Kumar at the other end but to no avail.
Bhuvneshwar scored 13 before got out off Lakmal's bowling while Mohammed Shami's quickfire 22-ball 24 helped India get past 150-run mark with Umesh Yadav (6 not out) at the non-striker's end.
Dasun Shanaka (2-36) also took two wickets while veteran left-arm spinner Rangana Herath bowled only two overs as India were bowled out for 172.
Seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave India big hopes when he removed opening batsmen Dimuth Karunaratne (8) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (23) to reduce the visitors to 34/2.
Karunaratne left an inswinging Bhuvneshwar delivery which outwitted him and struck the knee-roll. The in-form 29-year-old asked for a review which turned out to be unsuccessful.
His opening partner Sadeera Samarawickrama (23) followed suit soon, caught behind to a shortish Bhuvneshwar ball.
Fit-again Mathews (52 off 94; 8x4) and Thirimanne (51 off 94; 8x4) then joined hands to bail Sri Lanka out of trouble.
Thrimanne benefitted after being dropped on 27 by Shikhar Dhawan at first slip off Umesh's bowling, while Sri Lanka were 70/2.
With the conditions slightly improved for batting, the pair overcame the Indian bowling and played some good shots. Both scored eight fours each.
Both, however, fell prey to Umesh who bowled brilliantly in his second spell which read 7-1-25-2.
Thirimanne, who brought up his fifth fifty, edged to skipper Virat Kohli at second slip while Mathews, playing after missing out the Pakistan series due to a calf injury, was caught at short cover by Lokesh Rahul.
With inputs from IANS
HIGHLIGHTS
OUT! Think I jinxed him. Dhawan misses his ton. The southpaw looked to drive but inside edged to Dickwella. Dhawan reviewd it immediately but replays indicate there was a small nick. Dhawan departs for 94.
FIFTY for Shikhar Dhawan! His fourth in Tests (with six centuries) and he gets to the milestone in 74 deliveries! Gets there with a single after guiding the ball towards the leg side off Perera, with seven fours coming off his bat so far!
100-stand up between Dhawan and Rahul for the opening wicket! Has been a fine comeback by the two so far in the innings, with both falling cheaply in the first essay! Dhawan brings up the milestone with a single off the last ball of the 24th over.
FIFTY for KL Rahul — his ninth such score in the last 11 innings! Gets to the milestone with a single after nudging the ball towards the leg side. He may have faltered off the very first ball of the match, but boy has he bounced back in this innings! Let's see if he can convert this one or not.
OUT! Sri Lanka bowled out for 294. Lakmal drags a Shami delivery onto his stump. They lead by 122 runs, which is quite substantial.
FIFTY! Umesh keeps it full and Herath caresses it through covers for a boundary. Completes his third fifty in the process.
OUT! What a beauty! Perera nicks it to Saha. Shami lands it on a length and the ball jags away to find the soft edge of Perera's willow. He walks back for 5 but survived 34 deliveries. Sri Lanka lead by 72 runs.
OUT! The Sri Lankan captain has been dismissed. Shami is on fire! Steams in and tempts Chandimal to drive. The Lankan captain does but only manages a thin edge to Saha.
OUT! Another one bites the dust. Shanaka fails to pick Bhuvi's inswinger, offers no shot and gets rapped on the pads. Umpire raises the finger but he reviews straightaway. The decision however stays. Shanaka bags a duck.
OUT! Shami hits the deck hard, moves it away and Dickwella edges it to Kohli at second slip. India have got an opening after the Sri Lankan domination early on. Dickwella walks back for 35.
That is it from us today. We are set for an exciting finish with Dhawan stating they would look for a result. Sri Lanka still have the upper hand in the game and a few early wickets will give them more control. Join us tomorrow at 915 am. Till then, ta ta.
Players to have batted on each day of a Test:
M Jaisimha v Australia at Kolkata in 1960
G Boycott v Australia at Nottingham in 1977
K Hughes v England at Lord's in 1980
A Lamb v West Indies at Lord's in 1984
R Shastri v England at Kolkata in 1984
A Griffith v New Zealand at Hamilton in 1999
A Flintoff v India at Mohali in 2006
A Peterson v New Zealand at Wellington in 2012
Cheteshwar Pujara is set to become the ninth batsman to have batted on each day of a Test match.
The play has been called off and as India's No 4 and No 5 practice, the Lankan team cools down while the ground staff sweep the pitch. End of a fascinating day of cricket. Sri Lanka would be happy that they could stretch the lead in excess of 120, while Dhawan and Rahul's stand 166 would make the Indian camp feel good.
The crowd is applauding and cheering every shot that has come off Virat's bat. Ashwin joins Bangar and R Sridhar to roll his arm.
Oh no! The umpires have decided to leave the field and as soon as the batsmen started walking, the crowd started leaving. The few who were in the line behind, stop and see the Indian captain and vice-captain come out to bat.... but only for some practice.
The umpires are constantly checking light. They think its okay to continue for another over. So Shanaka steams in and bounces Pujara, who allows Dickwella to do his job. Then he flicks the second ball to backward square leg for a single. Then Rahul picks up a couple. And... the umpires are back and having a discussion. Play stopped due to bad light. It is stumps on Day 4 and India lead by 49 runs.
Brief chat between the two umpires. They haven't checked the light yet as we carry on with the game. It's not very dark or gloomy just yet. Perhaps we can get a few overs in.
After 39 overs,India 168/1 ( Lokesh Rahul 71 , Cheteshwar Pujara 1)
Rahul squeezes a single to gully. Pujara then flicks a short of length delivery to bacward square leg ot bring Rahul back on strike. Lakmal ends the over with short balls. Rahul gets out of its way.
After 38 overs,India 166/1 ( Lokesh Rahul 70 , Cheteshwar Pujara 0)
After losing Dhawan, Pujara walks out to bat and plays out five successive balls.
The fourth umpire just handed over the light meter to standing umpire Nigel Llong. 20 overs still left to play according to the schedule. Obviously, we won't get all of it.
What was that? Dhawan edged the ball to get caught behind and then asked for a review! Wasted review for India. Nevertheless good first wicket stand of 166 between him and Rahul. Puts India 44 runs ahead. Dhawan fell in the nervous 90s. A century was his for the asking.
Dhawan walks off to a standing ovation, it was strange to see the spike on snicko after Dhawan so confidently asked for a referral. Nevertheless, it was a great display of attacking batting. His shot selection on the ball he was dismissed can be questioned but he swears by his aggressive style and prefers to remain true to it.
OUT! Think I jinxed him. Dhawan misses his ton. The southpaw looked to drive but inside edged to Dickwella. Dhawan reviewd it immediately but replays indicate there was a small nick. Dhawan departs for 94.
The last Indian opener to score a century in the second innings of a home Test was Gautam Gambhir. He hit the century in India's second innings against Sri Lanka at Ahmedabad in 2009.
After 37 overs,India 166/0 ( Lokesh Rahul 70 , Shikhar Dhawan 94)
Dhawan is inching towards his 7th century. His form has been splendid in the last few Tests. A boundary and three singles.
FOUR! Dhawan was anticipating a full ball, kneeled and swept it hard to the square leg fence.
After 36 overs,India 159/0 ( Lokesh Rahul 69 , Shikhar Dhawan 88)
Rahul is going through a patchy phase currently. He will have to grind it out at the centre. Meanwhile, it is becoming dark. Two singles off the over.
The last over by Perera was the first maiden over in 35 overs bowled in the second innings. Goes to show how dominant India have been.
After 35 overs,India 157/0 ( Lokesh Rahul 68 , Shikhar Dhawan 87)
Dhawan prods forward and blocks the first ball. Taps the second ball softly towards point. Wants a single, Rahul shouts no. Looks to glance the third ball but gets rapped on the pads. Goes on his front foot on the fourth ball and buries it. Clears his front leg and punches the next delivery to covers. Push drives the sixth ball to the off side.
Lanka bowling defensive lines and to defensive fields. The batsmen are well set. They could go after the bowling when the visitors are dispirited and down in confidence. But Rahul and Dhawan have actually slowed the scoring after an aggressive start.
Shikhar Dhawan is now toying with the Sri Lankan bowlers. These innings might lead to Murali Vijay ending up sitting out of the remaining matches in the series.
After 34 overs,India 157/0 ( Lokesh Rahul 68 , Shikhar Dhawan 87)
Change of ends for Shanaka. Rahul drills ball one through covers for a single. Dhawan punches the third ball to mid off for a quick run. Sharp delivery. Pitched on a length and outside off, Rahul pokes at it and gets beaten. Carefully leaves the next ball. Similar approach on the final delivery.
After 33 overs,India 155/0 ( Lokesh Rahul 67 , Shikhar Dhawan 86)
Bowling change. Perera replaces Herath. The first two balls go for singles. Then Rahul remains on strike for three balls before retaining strike with a run.
This is the second time that both Indian openers have scored fifty-plus runs in the same Test innings at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The other instance was against Australia in 1998.
Four to the right and then to the left of fine leg helps India jet past 150. Dhawan 15 runs away from a magnificent century.
After 32 overs,India 152/0 ( Lokesh Rahul 65 , Shikhar Dhawan 85)
Toying with the bowling now is Shikhar Dhawan. Remember he is picked in the team because of his ability to change the phase of the game in one innings. He seems on track for doing so currently. Scored 11 off the 12 runs in this over.
FOUR! Pulled again but to a different region. This time Dhawan keeps it fine and the ball rolls away to the fence in no time.
FOUR! Dhawan is getting into his groove now. Rides the bounce of the short ball, swivels across and pulls it in front of square on the leg side.
Floodlights have been switched on now. 5 hours later compared to Day 2.
All too easy for now. The runs are now coming in excess of 4.5 runs an over. These two are well set and don't look to get out any soon.
KL Rahul has scored nine fifty-plus scores out of his last 11 Test innings but he has not scored a century yet. He has to learn to score big centuries if he wants to do well and he can start doing it from this innings itself as he has already scored fifty-plus runs.
It is amazing the way Dhawan has dominated Herath. He clobbered him so badly in Sri Lanka that their skipper did not want to bring on the demoralised veteran when Dhawan was at the crease. Here too he introduced Herath only after India had got to 100 runs. But in the three overs, he has bowled since Dhawan has clobbered him for 2 sixes and at over 8 runs an over!
After 31 overs,India 140/0 ( Lokesh Rahul 64 , Shikhar Dhawan 74)
Dhawan sweeps the first two deliveries of Herath's third over, the first fetching him a double off a paddle handing the strike back to Rahul off the other. Dhawan gets down on one knee and slog-sweeps a half-volley from the veteran spinner towards the midwicket fence for a six off the penultimate delivery. Collects a single off the last ball to retain strike. The umpire signals the drinks break at the end of this over — a good one for the Indians, with 11 coming off it.
SIX! Dhawan seems to have unleashed himself after getting past his half-century! Herath bowls a half-volley just outside off, with Dhawan getting down one one knee and sweeping it over the midwicket fence! India 139/0
India are now ahead and the haste with which they add runs from now on will determine how much pressure they can put on Lanka. They are going at over 4 runs per over. But for India to have a chance at pushing for victory, the target score and remaining time would be crucial. Of course, the deterioration of the last day's pitch will count.
After 30 overs,India 129/0 ( Lokesh Rahul 63 , Shikhar Dhawan 64)
Umpire Nigel Llong signals a no-ball off the third delivery of Gamage's eighth over, though it turns out to be a harsh decision as the bowler had a bit of his foot behind the crease after landing. Three off the over, including two singles.
India have now taken a lead in their second innings. Both the openers have scored fifty-plus runs as of now and the century stand between Rahul and Dhawan in India's second innings is their first one in India's second innings of a Test by a pair since 2010 when Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag did the same against South Africa.
India go ahead with Dhawan's six, the Lankan bowlers have given away runs at more than 4 runs an over and without creating any real difficulty for the Indian openers.
Not to take anything away from the Indian openers who have made full use of good batting conditions and will now look to build on this lead.
After 29 overs,India 126/0 ( Lokesh Rahul 62 , Shikhar Dhawan 63)
Dhawan and Rahul exchange singles after dots off the first two deliveries of the over. Dhawan though, ruins what could have been a fine over for the veteran left-arm spinner as he smacks the ball towards the stands beyond the cow-corner fence, putting India in the lead in style! Eight off the over.
SIX! That's the first big hit of India's second innings! Dhawan moves forward, and swings his bat towards the cow-corner fence, depositing the ball into the stands! India 126/0
After 28 overs,India 118/0 ( Lokesh Rahul 61 , Shikhar Dhawan 56)
Gamage returns to the attack in the 28th over, with Rahul collecting a single off the first delivery of the over. Dhawan opts for the defensive approach for the remainder of the over, collecting a single off the last ball of the over, with two coming off it.
Change from both ends now. Lahiru Gamage replaces Dilruwan Perera from the Pavilion End.
Dhawan follows his opening partner to notch his fifty, the duo fist bump and shakes hands as Herath makes his way to the bowling crease with India only 12 runs behind.
Dhawan has decided to be a lot more circumspect in this innings. He played a poor shot in the first and thus was a lot more wary of his stroke selection in this innings. He allowed Rahul to take the lead in strokeplay. But after settling down, Dhawan played some of his trademark shots to get to his 50.
After 27 overs,India 116/0 ( Lokesh Rahul 60 , Shikhar Dhawan 55)
Herath comes into the attack, and starts off with a full-toss along off. Dhawan dances down the track off the next delivery, but can only get a single off it. The left-handed batsman though, gets a boundary off the penultimate delivery, coming down the pitch and lofting the ball down the ground for his eighth boundary. Six off the over.
FOUR! Dhawan shuffles down the pitch yet again, and lofts the ball down the ground, with the ball landing inches from the boundary rope at long-off. India 116/0
This particular spectator is on his 15th dash. He runs in the passage between the seating rows holding the flag on his head every time the ball goes to the boundary.
The other people in the stadium laugh, applaud but more importantly love it as they cheer him every time there is a boundary.
Change of bowling. Rangana Herath comes into the attack for the first time in this innings, bowling from the High Court End, replacing Suranga Lakmal.