India vs Sri Lanka 2nd Test: Hosts close in on win despite Lanka fight on Day 3 of Pink Ball Test

Bengaluru, March 14: Sri Lanka showed some fight on Day 3 of the second Test against India at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday (March 14).

At tea, Sri Lanka were 151 for 4 chasing 447 runs to win and equal the chase. Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne led their fight with a gritty fifty.

But spinner R Ashwin, who went past Dale Steyn’s tally of 439 wickets, and Ravindra Jadeja ensured that India remained on top despite Lanka’s little pocket of fight.

ICC honour for Shreyas

India batter Shreyas Iyer was on Monday (March 14) voted the ICC 'Men's Player of the Month' for February, while New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr bagged the honour among women.

Shreyas earned the award on the back of his brilliant white-ball exploits during the home series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka last month.

He pipped UAE's Vriitya Aravind and Nepal's Dipendra Singh Airee to claim the honour.

The right-hander struck a well-crafted, match-winning 80 in the third ODI against the West Indies in Ahmedabad and followed it up with a brisk 16-ball 25 in the closing game of the subsequent three-match T20I series.

He was even better in the T20I series against Sri Lanka, aggregating 204 runs without being dismissed across three innings at a highly impressive strike-rate of 174.36.

Shreyas registered scores of 57 not out (28), 74 not out (44) and 73 not out (45) across three games, while striking 20 fours and seven sixes collectively in a Player of the Series performance.

"Throughout the month Shreyas showed tremendous consistency and control," remarked former Sri Lanka cricketer and voting panel member Russell Arnold.

"He totally dominated opposition bowlers and proved very hard to bowl at, scoring runs all-round the wicket and attacking the bowlers at the right moments.

"What really stood out for me was his composure as he battles for a regular place in the India lineup."

The 27-year-old has carried his form in the ongoing month too, having produced an outstanding 92 in the first innings of the ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka in Bangalore.