New Delhi: Having watched most of the first Test from various positions in the field, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were back to doing what they do best running through opponents. Dinesh Chandimal had no hesitation opting to bat on a pitch that was supposed to aid batsmen in Nagpur, but Ashwin and Jadeja spun clich d webs around the Sri Lankan batsmen to pick seven wickets between them on the first day of the second Test.
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Ishant Sharma, restored to the team in place of the injured Mohammed Shami, returned 3 for 37 as well to provide the spinners adequate support, as Sri Lanka were restricted to 205, thanks largely to the 62-run stand between Dimuth Karunaratne and Chandimal for the fourth wicket.
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Sri Lanka did have something to cheer about at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium after dismissing the dangerous KL Rahul late in the day. The Indian opener inside-edged Lahiru Gamage onto his stumps, meaning India ended the day at 11 for 1, trailing Sri Lanka by 194, with M Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara both unbeaten on 2.
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Despite that, it was a day India aced, although in the morning, it was Sri Lanka who seemed to have the advantage, having won another good toss. The pitch again had a tinge of green on it, but with no moisture underneath, it turned out to be a true pitch, with none of the lateral movement that made the Kolkata pitch such a killer.
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As for India, their two frontline bowlers who had wrecked havoc in the first Test were unavailable Bhuvneshwar Kumar was absent due to personal commitments, while Shami had a niggle. Umesh Yadav, the local boy, and Ishant Sharma would spearhead the attack, with Kohli opting to go with an extra batsman in Rohit Sharma. It was a curious decision. Kohli has usually always favoured the attacking option of an extra bowler, and despite his justification that Rohit needed the practice ahead of the South Africa tour, there were pertinent questions as to how four bowlers would handle the workload.
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The bowlers answered the questions with aplomb. Ishant and Umesh frequently pitched it in the right areas to trouble the batsmen the run-rate in the first session ranged at a paltry 1.5 and thereabouts and the first wicket fell within five overs of the day, Sadeera Samarawickrama failing to contain his instincts, chasing a wide one from Ishant straight to slips. Karunaratne ran his luck a fair few times to seal up one end, but the Indians displayed excellent discipline, forcing the batsmen on the defensive.
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Eventually, Lahiru Thirimanne had enough. He attempted a slog sweep to Ashwin, and missed the straighter delivery to be trapped in front for 58-ball 9. Karunaratne was then deemed out in the next over, only to be reprieved on review after it was discovered that Jadeja had overstepped.
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After lunch, Angelo Mathews looked to inject some impetus into the innings, taking the attack to the bowlers with consecutive fours off Ashwin, but it was an approach that was always risky. He missed the Jadeja s slider and was rapped on the pads.
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The captain, Chandimal, then joined Karunaratne to give Sri Lanka their most productive period of the day. Chandimal came down the track to lift a six off Ashwin, and the batsmen thereafter did well to put away the loose deliveries and keep the scoreboard ticking for what was disciplined bowling from the Indians for the most part.
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Karunaratne, having absorbed plenty of deliveries, even played a few shots, picking boundaries off Jadeja and Umesh. Chandimal joined in, and Sri Lanka soon crossed the 100-run mark, during the course of which Chandimal brought up his 3000th run in Test cricket. Karunaratne then brought up his half-century, off 132 balls, but couldn t build on the mark, playing all around an Ishant delivery to be rapped on top of the pads.
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Sri Lanka never really recovered. Niroshan Dickwella, having ruffled a few Indian feathers in Kolkata, once again went about attacking the bowlers, scoring a 30-ball 24 before miscuing one off Jadeja and holing out. Dasun Shanaka, the new man, lasted just 15 balls before seeing the top of his off stump disturbed by Ashwin. Dilruwan Perera was trapped plumb in front by Jadeja for a 21-ball 15 before Chandimal, in a desperate attempt to accelerate the scoring as wickets fell all around him, attempted a reverse sweep off Ashwin and was sent back on review.
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Suranga Lakmal hung around and swung his bat for a 25-ball 14, but Ishant had his number before Ashwin sent back the dangerous Herath to bring about the end of the Sri Lankan innings.