3rd Test: India vs Sri Lanka: Mathews, Chandimal fight but hosts in control

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New Delhi, December 3: A double hundred by skipper Virat Kohli and three wickets helped India grab commmand over Sri Lanka on the second day of the third Test at Ferozeshah Kotla on Sunday (December 3).

India declared their first innings closed at 536 for seven and then grabbed three Sri Lankan wickets for 131 runs. Mohammad Shami, Ishant Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja took a wicket apiece. The visitors still trail by 405 runs.

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At Kotla, some bizarre scenes were enacted as several Sri Lankan players wore mask to escape the high level of Delhi pollution.

A couple of players like Lahiru Gamage complained of difficulty in breathing and on a couple of occasions they stopped midway while bowling.

The entire drama forced on-field umpires Joel Wilson and Nigel Llong to hold discussions with Sri Lankan manager Asanka Gurusinha and skipper Dinesh Chandimal, a process that also involved India coach Ravi Shastri.

Precious 15 minutes were lost but amidst all that Kohli completed his sixth Test double hundred in 17 months as India posted a total in excess of 500.

Kohli declared Indian innings soon after his dismissal and Shami got rid of Dimuth Karunaratne in the very first ball of Sri Lankan innings.

Ishant soon got into act on his home ground trapping Dhananjaya de Silva for 1 as Lanka slipped to 14 for two. However, Angelo Mathews, who made a poised unbeaten 50, and Dilruwan Perera added 64 runs for the third wicket to save Lanka from imminent danger.

Jadeja ousted Perera to snuff out the blossoming stand but Mathews and Chandimal added 56 runs for the unfinished fourth wicket stand that kept Lanka afloat.

Sri Lanka could have been in deeper trouble had the Indian slip fielders hold on to the chances. But India are very much in control of the proceedings - a situation they will be eager to encash on third day.