India were staring at an embarrassing defeat as they lost six quick wickets in a pathetic batting show on a dramatic fourth day morning session to be reduced to 78 for 7 at lunch in the first cricket Test here today.
India still trail by 98 runs while chasing 176 for a win with just three wickets in hand on a turning Galle International Stadium pitch which saw the visiting batsmen crumbling against home side spinners.
Resuming the day at 23 for one, India added just 55 runs in the 28 overs of the morning session, losing six wickets in the process and allowing the match to turn in favour of the Sri Lankans.
Ajinkya Rahane was holding fort on 18 while R Ashwin was giving him company on 3 at the lunch break.
Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath picked up his 22nd five-wicket haul in Test cricket as he triggered India’s collapse. He picked up 5/37 in the innings, 4/24 this morning.
In the morning, Shikhar Dhawan (28) and Ishant Sharma (10) started from their overnight scores of 13 and 5 respectively. It was an expected slow start from both, with Dhawan looking to get his eye in while Ishant looking to spend as much time at the wicket as possible.
In the meantime, Lankan pacers Dhammika Prasad (0/4), Nuwan Pradeep (0/8) and skipper Angelo Mathews (0/3) bowled seven overs between them before spin was introduced.
Playing cautiously proved to be a mistake for India, as only seven runs had come off the pacers. Dhawan was excruciatingly slow, taking 36 balls to score his first runs of the day, that too a lemon-cut back to the boundary. Then, the spinners were deployed and they got on top immediately.
Ishant was the first to go in the 15th over, trapped LBW by Herath off the very first ball he bowled. Rohit Sharma (4) walked in at number four and did not last long, out bowled by Herath in the 19th over.
Three overs later, skipper Virat Kohli (3) was out as Kaushal Silva took a diving catch at forward short leg off Kaushal. Drinks were taken at that stage and India were placed at 45/4, losing three wickets for 22 runs in the first hour’s play.
The carnage did not stop as the session resumed though.
Rahane joined Dhawan in the middle, with the latter deciding to play some shots. They added 15 runs for the fifth wicket and helped India cross the 50-run mark.
But Dhawan’s ploy was not very successful, making odd-looking attempts, and ultimately threw his wicket away in the 28th over as Kaushal took a brilliant return catch.
Three overs later, Wriddhiman Saha (2) was stumped as he charged Herath. Runs were coming only in trickles, but there were wickets aplenty this morning, as Harbhajan Singh (1) was sent back in the 33rd over, caught close by Silva again. He was Herath’s fourth wicket this morning, with figures of 4/24 in this session, and his fifth overall in the Indian second innings.