IND vs SL 2017: Third Test , Day 2: Sri Lanka trail by 405 after smog plays spoilsport

Sri Lanka finished Day 2 on 131 for 3.

Sri Lankan players were seen fielding with their masks on. (Cricket.com.au)

It was a smoggy day at the Feroz Shah Kotla amidst which both India and Sri Lanka played out some tough cricket. India started the day on 371 for 4 with overnight batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli restarting the Indian innings.

Kohli went on to register his sixth double hundred in Test cricket and the second of the series and helped India march along to 536 for 7 before something unexpected happened in the match. Sri Lankan players suddenly were seen wearing masks on the ground  Sri Lanka under the leadership of  Dinesh Chandimal was seen to wear masks in between the game stating reasons of smog. Coming back from lunch, several Sri Lankan cricketers including captain Dinesh Chandimal, Suranga Lakmal and Lakash Sadakanan were seen spotting wearing face masks on the field. The sight of seeing cricketers with the masks bothered the commentators Sanjay Manjrekar and Russel Arnold who both agreed it will get difficult to play with masks on. They further said that seamers will particularly face difficulty while bowling.

Seen More: Ashes 2017: Second Test Day 2 Report 

If this was a strategy then they were successful to some extent as they dismissed R Ashwin and Virat Kohli in quick successions. Seeing the drama still being carried on by the Sri Lankan players, Kohli decided to declare at 536 for 7 just after he was dismissed. It is the first time ever in the history of international cricket that a Test match was held up due to pollution concerns.

Seeing the ongoing drama from the Sri Lankan players, Virat Kohli decided to declare the Indian innings at 536 for7 and asked the Sri Lankan batsmen to bat. Shami dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne in the very first ball of the Sri Lankan innings giving their innings a torrid start. Amidst the weather playing hide and seek and the lights taking full effect in the foggy and smoggy conditions, skipper Dinesh Chandimal (25*) and senior statesman Angelo Mathews (57*) the Sri Lankan innings reaching 131 for 3 at stumps.

See More: Smog drama at Kotla 

Sri Lanka still trail by 405 and need both these overnight batsmen t bat through the majority of the third day.

Brief Scores

Sri Lanka 131 for 3 (Mathews 57*) trail India 536 for 7 dec (Kohli 243, Vijay 155, Rohit 65, Sandakan 4-167) by 405 runs

 
 

By Anshuman Roy - 03 Dec, 2017

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