mohalic: Ravindra Jadeja expressed his authority as India’s premier all-rounder with an undefeated career as the best while the home team piled up a massive 574 for 8 declared here on the second day of the opening test against Sri Lanka.
Jadeja (175 none of 228 balls) scored his second Test hundred with 17 limits and three sixes, mocking a underpowered attack in Sri Lanka, which appeared to have given up the fight long before the first ball was dropped on the second day. thrown .
The 100 would be a huge boost to the confidence of the Saurashtra man, who missed four Tests this season due to a knee injury.
India has slowly but surely knocked Sri Lanka out of the game. The seventh wicket partnership of 130 runs between Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin (61 from 82 balls) has most likely knocked the final nail in their coffin unless there is an alien strike force from Sri Lanka.
The session’s 111 run of 27 overs came at a brisk pace, courtesy of India’s spin twins.
In the second session, Jadeja shielded Mohammed Shami (20 not out on 34 balls), but even then managed to add 103 runs for the unbroken ninth wicket before Rohit Sharma decided to call the innings.
Jadeja ran his innings to perfection and at one point reached the limits at will after refusing singles on a spread out field.
The Sri Lankan team looked despondent at the start of the day and Dimuth Karunaratne’s defensive field placings were a testament to how they were just trying to bid the time rather than think about getting wickets.
Their left arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya (46-3-188-2) was at one point bowling with a long-off, deep mid-wicket, deep fine leg and deep point in a bid to save boundaries.
As a result, the Jadeja-Ashwin pair milked the singles and doubles bowling and also got their share of four.
The home side has crossed more than 50 boundaries and four sixes so far.
There was a time when both batters just casually hit the half volleys to the fence and not a single Sri Lankan bowler made the extra effort.
Finally, after seeing 81 pitches and hitting eight limits, Ashwin was fired when Suranga Lakmal missed one and the batter hooked up keeper Niroshan Dickwella.
But that didn’t stop Jadeja from hitting the three-digit mark by pushing an Embuldeniya delivery toward cover for a single that brought out the usual sword celebration.
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