MOHALI: All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja hit an unbeaten 175 and took a wicket to put India in command of the opening Test against Sri Lanka on day two on Saturday. Jadeja pulverised the Sri Lankan bowling in Mohali to amass his Test-best total before India declared their innings on 574-8 in superstar cricketer Virat Kohli’s 100th Test. In reply, Sri Lanka were in trouble at 108 for four at stumps — needing another 267 runs to avoid the follow-on. Pathum Nissanka, on 26, and CharithAsalanka, on one, were batting at close of play. Ravichandran Ashwin took two wickets while fellow spinner Jadeja and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah claimed one each. Both teams observed one minute’s silence before the start of play in memory of Shane Warne and Rod Marsh — the Australian greats who both died Friday — and wore black armbands.India resumed the day on 357-6 and Jadeja put on a stand of 130 with overnight partner Ashwin, who made 61, to stretch India’s dominance after they elected to bat first at the start of the two-match series.He recorded his second Test century before lunch, surpassing his previous best of 100 not out, to ram home the advantage after Rishabh Pant’s 96 on Friday.
Jadeja, who began day two on 45, went past 150 with a six off Dhananjaya de Silva and put on an unbeaten partnership of 103 with number 10 Mohammed Shami, who made 20.Shami appeared to be struggling after being hit on the back by a fielding throw and skipper Rohit Sharma called his batsmen back to the pavilion, with tea taken early.He was approaching a double century when Rohit declared, but said he had signalled to the dressing room to end the Indian innings soon as the ball was turning and it was a good time to get a “tired” Sri Lanka in to bat. Shami returned to bowl the first over after the Indian team gave Kohli, who made 45 on day one, a guard of honour in the star batsman’s landmark game.
Ashwin struck first with the wicket of Lahiru Thirimanne as he trapped the left-handed opener lbw for 17 with his off spin.Leg spinner Jadeja was introduced in the 25th over and on his second ball sent back skipper Dimuth Karunaratne trapped lbw for 28 with one that turned sharply from outside off to the left-handed opener.It would have been three down when Bumrah bowled Nissanka through the gate but the delivery turned out to be a no-ball.
Bumrah, the team’s vice-captain, made amends with the wicket of Angelo Mathews for 22 and Ashwin got de Silva for one as Sri Lanka slipped to 103-4.Asalanka survived an anxious moment at the death when he was given out lbw to Jadeja but successfully reviewed the decision in his favour when the system showed the ball missing the stumps.The match is new all-format captain Rohit’s first as Test captain after Kohli quit the job in January.