Team India will be looking to continue their dominating form when they take on struggling Sri Lanka in the 3rd test match at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, New Delhi. Virat Kohli led side outplayed the visitors at Nagpur by registering their biggest win over Sri Lanka by an innings and 239 runs.
It was a team performance by team India who dominated Sri Lanka right from word go. Despite Sri Lanka winning the toss, Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja dismissed them for a modest 205. While batting Indian captain Virat Kohli scored 213, Murali Vijay who made a comeback into the squad scored 128, Pujara made 143 and Rohit Sharma also remained not out on 102. It was a great batting by the Indian team who posted a massive total of 610 for 6.
In the second innings, the Indian bowlers continued their impressive bowling and dismissed Sri Lanka for 166. R Ashwin became fastest to take 300 wickets in test matches. All the Indian bowlers took wickets in the second innings.
Sri Lanka could not put up a fight in the second test. Winning the toss, only Karunanthe and captain Chandimal scored half-centuries as visitors were dismissed for 205. In the second innings too, captain Chandimal was the top scorer with 61. The rest of batsmen could not score big runs.
Sri Lankan bowling also looked ordinary as the conditions were good for batting. Dilwuran Perera took 3 wickets but went for more than 200 runs.
The third test match would be an opportunity for both teams to end the year with a win. Shikhar Dhawan would be back in the team. KL Rahul could not score big runs in the second test. It would be interesting to see which opening combination team India would go with. Vijay Shankar might be tried in the playing XI. Otherwise, it would be same playing XI. If India wins this match, then Virat Kohli would equal the record of winning 9 successive test series.
Sri Lanka has been dealt a major blow as their experienced bowler Rangana Hearth has been ruled out of the 3rd test due to a back injury. He could pick only 1 wicket in the second test at Nagpur. Jeffery Vandersey would play replace Hearth. Sri Lanka threw their wickets away. Also, Lahiru Thirmmane could be dropped for the third test. Left-arm Vishwa Fernando could be included in the playing XI.
The pitch at Kotla could help the fast bowlers. This will be a true test for the Indian batsmen before the South African tour.
Playing XI for India: KL Rahul/ Shikhar Dhawan/ Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajiyanka Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Vijay Shankar/Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Mohammad Shami
Playing XI for Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunanthe, Sadeera, Thirmmane, Mathews, Chandimal, Dickwella, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanka, Dilwuran Perera, Surgana Lakmal, Vishwa Fernando, Jeffery Vandersy.