Former India-P ITF fielder Dodda Ganesh has raised doubts about how coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Shubman Gill decided to go ahead with the batting line-up on the first day of the third Test against Sri Lanka at Galle. But there was a significant amount of rain forecast for the rest of the match, and Ganesh felt the Indian bidding was too defensive and difficult to comprehend, especially in the presence of 2 tailenders at the crease.
India started Day 3 with Kuldeep Yadav and Prasidh Krishna in action but their innings ended after four balls. Asitha Fernando bowled a well-deserved bowled off the dot to knock Krishna off at 2 to put the Indians behind the hoop at 462. Ganesh then questioned the decision and hit the solution about the don’t bat while the match was in bad conditions and maximize playing time.
During the first two days, 64 overs were lost and it was expected to rain the third day. India is thus under pressure to now play downbeat games to keep a grip on the eventual playoff spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
Devdutt Padikkal was the showman as the Indians put on a superb 167 in the first innings. KL Rahul put on 82 while Dhruv Jurel scored a fine 51. Prabath Jayasuriya picked up his fourth wicket and Keshara Nuwantha his third for Sri Lanka.
India thereafter got off to a good start with the ball. Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar is another batsman barked off, after Mohammed Siraj picked him for a duck in the first over, from the left-hander who struck from the first.Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar got caught by Mohammed Siraj for a duck in the opening over, off Dinesh Chandimal’s first ball.
Gill has already won the toss previously and chose to bat first. India are currently in fifth place in the WTC table and can’t afford to suffer any additional setbacks after undergoing a home-series heartbreak against South Africa last year. Rainfall looming large, they will have to play with caution and a risk-taking attitude to hold on to their hopes of challenging for the WTC.